March 3, 2023, 11:43 am | Read time: 3 minutes
Adequate vitamin intake supports various important processes in the body, including some functions in the brain. A specific vitamin, when taken as a supplement, can reduce the risk of dementia–this is the conclusion of a recent study.
Dementia is a severe, incurable disease associated with the loss of brain function. This makes preventive measures all the more important to reduce the likelihood of developing the disease. It is now known that a generally healthy lifestyle (regular exercise, non-smoking, etc.) and the intake of certain plant compounds and vitamins can offer some protection against dementia. In a joint study, Canadian and British researchers have now specifically examined the impact of vitamin D intake on the risk of dementia.
Overview
Study on Vitamin D and Dementia
People who take vitamin D in the form of supplements are about 40 percent less likely to develop dementia. This summarizes the findings of the study recently published in the scientific press.1
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Procedure
The study involved 12,000 participants with an average age of 71. About 4,600 of them, or approximately 37 percent, reported regularly taking vitamin D supplements. At the start of the study, none of them had dementia or a similar Alzheimer’s disease. At the ten-year follow-up, 2,670 participants had developed dementia. Around 2,000 of these, a significant majority, belonged to the group that did not take vitamin D.
The study documentation notes that the majority of those taking vitamin D were women and white. They were also generally more educated and less likely to suffer from depression.
Researchers Convinced by Their Results
“Our findings provide important insights into groups that could be targeted in future studies on vitamin D supplementation,” explains Zahinoor Ismail, a professor at the University of Calgary and the study’s lead author, in a press release.2 He already sees “universal indications” in the current material that earlier vitamin D supplementation can counteract the onset of cognitive decline. Previous studies on the link between vitamin D and dementia have reportedly produced conflicting results.
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Limitations of the Study
However, the current study is not without its limitations. It requires further research to support its conclusions. The study is based on participants’ self-reported supplement consumption habits. Unfortunately, the data does not reveal how consistently they took the supplements or the dosage of vitamin D they consumed.
To accurately assess the effect of vitamin D intake on the likelihood of developing dementia, it would be beneficial to divide participants into randomized groups. This would involve administering vitamin D to some participants–including those who previously did not or only irregularly took such supplements–and a placebo to others, creating a test and control group for comparison purposes.
Sources
- 1. M. Ghahremani, E. Smith, H. Chen (et. al.), 2023, Vitamin D supplementation and incident dementia: Effects of sex, APOE, and baseline cognitive status, Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring
- 2. University of Calgary: Taking vitamin D could help prevent dementia, study finds (accessed March 3, 2023)