HUH: Could a popular arthritis supplement be the key to a longer life? Glucosamine could extend life ‘by 8 years.’ “Tests on mice found glucosamine extended lifespan by almost 10 per cent – equivalent to an extra eight years in human terms. It is thought the sugar-like supplement, which has long been used to keep joints healthy and ease the pain of arthritis, extends life by altering the metabolism. The Swiss researchers said they could not be certain it would work in humans. But scientist Michael Ristow, who has started taking glucosamine himself, claimed: ‘The chances are good.’. . . In two large-scale human studies, people who took glucosamine lived longer than others – but Dr Ristow said more research is needed to prove its effectiveness.” Well, it’s common and cheap.