NMU 338 – Glucosamine: An Important Anti-Aging Drug?  Human and Animal Studies Show Its Disease Prevention and Life Extending Impact

Nutrition/Natural Medicine Update No 338 (October 10, 2024)

with Dr. James Meschino

Topic: Glucosamine: An Important Anti-Aging Drug?  Human and Animal Studies Show Its Disease Prevention and Life Extending Impact

Source: Human Nutrition & Metabolism (2021)

As we age, roughly around age 40, our body makes less of a substance known as glucosamine.  As glucosamine is required to maintain the cartilage in our joints, a number of studies have shown that supplementing with glucosamine can help to slow and sometimes reverse symptoms of osteoarthritis. I personally think that everyone over 40 should take a low dose glucosamine supplement (500 mg per day) that also includes some natural anti-inflammatory agents like Quercetin, MSM and Bromelain Enzymes, as one way to help prevent osteoarthritis from developing and/or decelerate its progression. But glucosamine supplementation is now showing potential as a very important anti-aging drug. This stems from the fact that the administration of glucosamine not only supports joint cartilage, but at the cellular level it is involved in many processes shown to extend lifespan and reduce risk of some chronic degenerative diseases. One human observational study has already documented that individuals who took glucosamine supplements showed a 17% lower risk of total mortality compared to non-glucosamine users, and a 2020 study of 490,000 individuals showed that glucosamine supplementation was associated with reduced risk of cancer, heart disease, respiratory disease, digestive disease, and mortality, compared to non-glucosamine users.

These observations are strengthened by recent animal studies. Since the year 2014 two animal experiments showed that the lifespan of mice and nematodes was extended with orally administered glucosamine. In the 2014 mouse experiment, data showed that the average lifespan of mice was extended by approximately 10% along with improvements in energy metabolism in those given glucosamine supplements. In a nematode study (C. elegans), life expectancy increased up to 30% with glucosamine administration.

When researchers investigate anti-aging drugs, they often first look at results obtained from mice and nematode studies. A lifespan extension of 10-30% in these animal studies is considered to be very significant in modern day anti-aging research. The authors of the research review I am citing today, which was published in Human Nutrition & Metabolism, go on to explain the various cellular processes impacted by glucosamine that help to explain its positive effects on longevity and reduced risk of many common degenerative diseases.

I maintain that after age 40 it is a good idea for prevention purposes to consider taking a supplement that contains glucosamine sulphate with quercetin, MSM and bromelain. This combination can help to preserve and support joint cartilage, minimize age-related inflammation and possibly affect key cellular processes that can extend your healthy life expectancy and quality of life. I have included a link to the research paper entitled, “Shifting the focus of D-glucosamine from a dietary supplement for knee osteoarthritis to a potential anti-aging drug”, in the text below.

Reference:

Shintani H et al. Shifting the focus of D-glucosamine from a dietary supplement for knee osteoarthritis to a potential anti-aging drug. Human Nutrition & Metabolism. 2021, vol 26. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666149721000165#bib25

Eat Smart, Live Well, Look Great,
Dr. Meschino