Lifestyle

Vitamin D Supplements May Help Prevent Dementia, Study Says

Taking vitamin D supplements may help ward off dementia, according to a large-scale study. Researchers at the University of Calgary in Canada and the University of Exeter in the UK explored the relationship between vitamin D supplementation and dementia in more than 12,388 participants of the US National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center.

The participants had a mean age of 71 and were dementia-free when they signed up. Of the group, 37 per cent (4,637) took vitamin D supplements. The study, published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring, found that taking vitamin D was associated with living dementia-free for longer.

No exposure to Vitamin D

The team also found 40 per cent fewer dementia diagnoses in the group who took supplements. Across the entire sample, 2,696 participants progressed to dementia over ten years; amongst them, 2,017 (75 per cent) had no exposure to vitamin D throughout all visits prior to dementia diagnosis, and 679 (25 per cent) had baseline exposure.

“We know that vitamin D has some effects on the brain that could have implications for reducing dementia, however so far, research has yielded conflicting results,” said Professor Zahinoor Ismail, of the University of Calgary and the University of Exeter, who led the research.

“Our findings give key insights into groups who might be specifically targeted for vitamin D supplementation. Overall, we found evidence to suggest that earlier supplementation might be particularly beneficial, before the onset of cognitive decline,” Ismail said.

While Vitamin D was effective in all groups, the researchers found that effects were significantly greater in females, compared to males. Similarly, effects were greater in people with normal cognition, compared to those who reported signs of mild cognitive impairment — changes to cognition that have been linked to a higher risk of dementia.

Also read: Psychological Distinctions Between Men And Women, Know Some Interesting Facts Here…

‘People who carry the APOEe4 gene absorb vitamin D better from their intestines’

The effects of vitamin D were also significantly greater in people who did not carry the APOEe4 gene, known to present a higher risk for Alzheimer’s dementia, compared to non-carriers.
The study authors suggest that people who carry the APOEe4 gene absorb vitamin D better from their intestines, which might reduce the vitamin D supplementation effect. However, no blood vessels were drawn to test this hypothesis.

Previous research has found that low levels of vitamin D are linked to higher dementia risk. Vitamin D is involved in the clearance of amyloid in the brain, the accumulation of which is one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease.

Studies have also found that vitamin D may provide help to protect the brain against a build-up of tau, another protein involved in the development of dementia.

Shruti Chaturvedi

Recent Posts

Gautam Adani Hails Puri Lifeguards As Unsung Heroes During Rath Yatra Visit

Gautam Adani, Chairman of the Adani Group, visited Puri in Odisha during the annual Rath…

9 hours ago

Acharya Pramod Krishnam Slams Congress Over ‘Internal Emergency’ Allegation

Acharya Pramod Krishnam, stirred political debate by claiming an 'internal emergency' still exists within the…

10 hours ago

MRM Meeting: Pledge for Global Peace, Green India, De-addiction & Democratic Integrity

Taking a crucial step toward positive transformation, social reform, and global peace, the Muslim Rashtriya…

10 hours ago

India To Host 2029 World Police & Fire Games; Amit Shah Hails Global Recognition

India has been chosen to host the prestigious 2029 World Police and Fire Games in…

10 hours ago

Seeing The Lord Among Devotees Is The Pinnacle Of Humility: Gautam Adani At Rath Yatra

Gautam Adani, along with his wife and Karan, participated in the Rath Yatra in Puri,…

13 hours ago

PM Modi Interacts With Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla Aboard The ISS

PM Narendra Modi interacted with Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian to reach the…

14 hours ago