Studies have shown that eating only vitamin D can help prevent dementia.
According to a joint research team from the University of Exeter in the UK and the Hochkeys Brain Institute at the University of Calgary in Canada announced on the 2nd, people who took vitamin D supplements had a 40% lower incidence of dementia.
To find out the relationship between vitamin D and dementia, the research team took 10 out of 12,388 elderly (average age of 71 years) who participated in a study by the National Alzheimer’s Coordination Center in the United States, of which 4,637 people took vitamin D supplements and 7,751 people who did not take supplements. Years of follow-up for dementia onset were followed.
As a result, it was found that the group taking vitamin D supplements lived longer without getting dementia, and the rate of them being diagnosed with dementia during the study period was 40% lower than the group not taking supplements.
The research team found that 2,696 people were diagnosed with dementia over the following 10 years, and of these, about three-quarters (2017) had never taken vitamin D supplements, and one-fourth (679) did.
In addition, vitamin D was effective in preventing dementia in all groups, but more effective in women than in men. In addition, it was found that the effect was better for those who started taking it before the onset of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), one of the prognostic symptoms of dementia.
“Overall, we found evidence to suggest that taking supplements earlier, before the onset of cognitive decline, may be particularly beneficial,” said lead author Zahinur Ismail, a neuropsychiatrist and professor of neuropsychiatry.
Vitamin D, an all-around beauty that is good for preventing various diseases
Vitamin D can be consumed through food, but it is the only vitamin synthesized in the skin by ultraviolet rays. Vitamin D synthesized in the skin or absorbed through food is converted into an active form in the liver and kidneys and is involved in forming and maintaining a healthy skeleton, so if vitamin D is insufficient, osteoporosis or osteomalacia, which weaken bones, may occur.
In particular, since the 1990s, vitamin D has been reported to be effective in preventing and treating cancer, various chronic diseases, and autoimmune-related diseases in addition to its unique function. Functions that prevent autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis by acting on immune cells and prevent cancer by acting on cell division mechanisms in colon, breast, and prostate cells have been revealed and are drawing attention.
In this regard, a health information column at Samsung Hospital in Seoul recommended intake through food as it may be difficult for modern people who are active indoors and in winter when sunlight is relatively low. Vitamin D is most abundant in oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, and herring, and is also found in egg yolks, mushrooms, and vitamin D-enhanced dairy products.
According to Korean nutritional intake standards, 5 ㎍ (200 IU) per day for those aged 0 to 49 years old, and 10 ㎍ (400 IU) for adults over 50 years of age and pregnant and lactating women are sufficient intakes. This is because the risk of osteoporosis after menopause is high, and the synthesis ability in the skin decreases with age.
Even if you eat only one small piece of oily fish, you can meet the sufficient intake, but it can be difficult to eat oily fish every day, so it is recommended to consume dairy products, eggs, and mushrooms in a variety of ways.
※Weekly Chosun online article.