A new study has found that a drug used worldwide for joint pain may potentially accelerate the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

According to research from the University of Florida, people who had early signs of memory and thinking problems were 25 percent more likely to develop dementia if they took glucosamine supplements.

The study, published in the journal Nature Metabolism, also found that patients who already had Alzheimer’s or related brain diseases were associated with a 25 percent increased risk of death if they took glucosamine.

Neuropsychologist Dr. Jessica McCarthy said that the study further strengthens the theory that Alzheimer’s is not just the result of the accumulation of amyloid plaques and tau proteins in the brain, but also factors such as metabolic disorders and physical inflammation.

He said that since glucosamine can cross the protective barrier between the blood and the brain, it can further accelerate the already active metabolic processes in the brain, which may result in increased disease progression in people with early dementia and increased risk of death in Alzheimer’s patients.