Glucosamine is sold over the counter. Amanda Mascarelli

(GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA) People with Alzheimer’s disease who took the common supplement glucosamine were 25% more likely to die within five years than those who didn’t. That’s the key finding of a new study that my colleagues and I published in the journal Nature Metabolism.

Glucosamine is a sugar molecule that’s sold over the counter as a remedy for joint pain and arthritis. More than 40 million Americans take it each year.

Originally published on theconversation.com, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.