Study finds vitamin D supplements may help prevent dementia

Researchers from the University of Calgary’s Hotchkiss Brain Institute in Canada and the University of Exeter in the UK have found the right amount of vitamin D each day can help ward off dementia.

Probably most well-known for its benefits related to calcium and phosphorus absorption and immune regulation, vitamin D just may turn out to be an integral ingredient when it comes to keeping one’s mind and cognition sharp as well.

Study authors analyzed the relationship between taking vitamin D supplements and dementia among over 12,388 people taking part in the U.S. National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center.

The average age of these participants was 71 and all of them were dementia-free upon initial enrollment. Within the group, 37 percent (4,637) reported taking vitamin D supplements.

Ultimately, the research team found that taking vitamin D displayed an association with living dementia-free for a longer period of time. The team saw 40 percent fewer dementia diagnoses in the group taking supplements.

Across the entire analyzed sample, a total of 2,696 participants developed dementia over the course of a decade. Among that group, 2,017 (75%) had no exposure whatsoever to vitamin D throughout all visits prior to receiving a dementia diagnosis, while 679 (25%) had baseline exposure.

“We know that vitamin D has some effects in the brain that could have implications for reducing dementia, however so far, research has yielded conflicting results. 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,” says research leader Professor Zahinoor Ismail in a university release.

While Vitamin D proved effective across all groups, researchers note that the effects were significantly greater in women.