Glucosamine is a naturally occurring compound found in shellfish and fungi, and it is also present in human cartilage. While best known for its role in joint health, glucosamine has also been studied for potential links to healthy aging. In preclinical models, glucosamine has been shown to influence pathways related to energy metabolism and cellular stress responses, including effects consistent with calorie-restriction–like signaling and lifespan extension in simple organisms.

Glucosamine has also been investigated for its potential to modulate inflammatory signaling in experimental systems. In humans, large observational studies report that regular glucosamine use is associated with lower all-cause mortality, though these findings do not prove causation and may reflect differences in lifestyle and health behaviors among users.

This Article Covers:

• What is Glucosamine? 
• What Are The Benefits Of Glucosamine?
• How Does Glucosamine Consumption Slow Down Aging?
• How Does Glucosamine Impact Aging in Humans?
• Why is Glucosamine included in NOVOS Core?

Key Takeaways

✔ Glucosamine is a naturally occurring compound found in shellfish and fungi, and it is also present in human connective tissues (e.g., cartilage).

✔ In preclinical research (especially in simple organisms), glucosamine has been linked to lifespan extension and stress-response pathways.

✔ In animal and cellular models, glucosamine has been shown to influence pathways that overlap with calorie-restriction–related signaling.

✔ In preclinical studies, glucosamine has been associated with changes consistent with improved mitochondrial metabolism and cellular energy pathways (including markers of mitochondrial biogenesis in some models).

✔ In large observational human studies, regular glucosamine use is associated with lower all-cause mortality (association, not proof of causation).

✔ Glucosamine has been studied for potential effects on inflammatory signaling, with findings suggesting it may support a healthier inflammatory balance in some contexts.

✔ In experimental settings, glucosamine has shown protective effects against oxidative stress and related cellular damage in certain models.

✔ Glucosamine has been proposed to influence processes related to tissue stiffness and age-related structural changes, but human evidence is limited.

✔ Glucosamine has been explored for skin and connective-tissue support; evidence for visible appearance benefits varies by study design and population.

What Are The Benefits Of Glucosamine? 

Glucosamine is best known for supporting joint health, but it has also been studied for potential roles in healthy aging, especially in preclinical research.

How Does Glucosamine Consumption Slow Down Aging? 

Glucosamine has been studied for potential anti-aging mechanisms in preclinical models, including:

• Influencing glucose-related signaling and nutrient-sensing pathways
• Supporting mitochondrial metabolism (including markers of mitochondrial biogenesis in some models)
• Modulating inflammatory signaling
• Supporting cellular defenses against oxidative stress
• Inducing autophagy in certain experimental settings

(Some proposed mechanisms, such as effects on DNA damage and tissue crosslinking, are context-dependent and have stronger support in experimental systems than in human trials.)

Few people realize that glucosamine has also been explored for its potential links to longevity. In scientific studies, primarily in simple organisms and animal models, glucosamine has been shown to extend lifespan and activate stress-response pathways (R,R)

Glucosamine has been reported to extend lifespan in multiple preclinical models:

• C. elegans: In one study, glucosamine increased lifespan by ~22%, with evidence pointing to autophagy induction as a key mechanism (R).

• C. elegans: In a separate study, D-glucosamine increased lifespan by ~8%. The authors linked these effects to shifts in nutrient-sensing/energy metabolism consistent with glycolysis inhibition and stress-response signaling (R).

• Mice (Mus musculus): In aging mice, D-glucosamine increased lifespan by ~5%. Reported mechanistic signals included changes consistent with altered glucose metabolism (glycolysis-related) and amino acid catabolism. (R)

These findings suggest glucosamine can engage conserved longevity-related pathways in living organisms. However, these results are not clinical proof of lifespan extension in humans, they are best interpreted as mechanistic and preclinical evidence supporting further research into glucosamine’s potential impact on healthspan and aging biology.

Could Glucosamine Consumption Reduce Mortality?

Large observational studies in humans have reported that glucosamine use is associated with lower all-cause mortality. This is consistent with findings from another large cohort study that also observed lower mortality among glucosamine (and/or chondroitin) users.

Some large population studies have also linked habitual glucosamine use with lower risk of cardiovascular events. However, these are observational findings, and association does not prove causation, residual confounding (e.g., healthier behaviors among supplement users) may contribute to the results (R, R).

Taken together with preclinical lifespan data in model organisms, these human associations make glucosamine a promising ingredient for further research in healthspan and aging biology.

How Does Glucosamine Impact Aging in Humans?

At a dose similar to one NOVOS Core sachet, glucosamine sulfate was tested in healthy women over a long-term study. Skin samples from the forearm showed increased activity of genes involved in the skin’s structure and hydration, including several types of collagen and other proteins that support the extracellular matrix. (R) These changes suggest that glucosamine sulfate could help maintain skin structure and hydration, supporting a skin-aging benefit.

At doses matching two NOVOS Core sachets, short-term use (under 1 month) is better tolerated than ibuprofen, with fewer side effects and fewer people dropping out of studies due to adverse events. (R).

In the long term, multiple trials in people with knee osteoarthritis show clear improvements in knee pain, stiffness, and function, measured by standard questionnaires for pain and daily activities (R;R;R) Some studies also reported less daily use of pain medications and more participants experiencing meaningful improvements (R,R).

Over 3 years, placebo-controlled studies showed slower joint deterioration on X-rays, suggesting glucosamine may help protect joint structure (R;R)

Overall, human evidence supports glucosamine sulfate most strongly for joint comfort and function, while early data on skin-related biomarkers and broader aging pathways remains promising but still emerging.

NOVOS CORE & Glucosamine Supplementation