Presentation by researchers from the University of Calgary in Canada and the University of Exeter in the UK
Taking vitamin D supplements reduces the risk of dementia by 40%↓
“It’s better to take it before cognitive decline begins”
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Studies have shown that vitamin D supplementation helps prevent dementia.
According to a report published on the 2nd in the medical journal ‘Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring’ by a joint research team from the University of Calgary in Canada and the University of Exeter in the UK, taking vitamin D supplements People were found to have a 40% lower incidence of dementia.
In order to investigate the relationship between vitamin D supplement intake and dementia, the researchers took part in a study by the National Alzheimer’s Control Center (NACC) in the United States. Among 12,388 older adults (average age 71 years), 4637 took vitamin D supplements and 7751 did not take supplements. The subjects were followed up for 10 years for dementia onset.
As a result, it was found that the group taking vitamin D supplements lived longer without developing dementia. The rate of those diagnosed with dementia during the study period was 40% lower than the group not taking the supplement. In addition, 2017 (74.8%) of 2696 people (21.8%) who were diagnosed with dementia over 10 years had never taken vitamin D supplements before being diagnosed with dementia.
The 5-year survival rate of those without a diagnosis of dementia was 83.6% in those who took vitamin D supplements, higher than those who did not (68.4%).
Vitamin D had a preventive effect on dementia in all groups, but △in women rather than men △in non-bearers rather than those with Alzheimer’s disease-related genes (apolipoprotein e4) △than in people diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), one of the prognostic symptoms of dementia The effect was found to be better for people with general cognitive abilities.
Zahinour Ismail, a professor at the University of Calgary and the University of Exeter, who is the corresponding author of the thesis, said, “We knew that vitamin D could affect the brain and reduce dementia, but studies so far have yielded conflicting results.” Evidence suggests that taking vitamin D supplements before the onset of dementia may be particularly effective in preventing dementia.”
However, the researchers noted that there are several limitations to this study. The participants’ vitamin D intake history data were not recorded on the NACC’s medication card (MAR), and differences in intake duration were not considered during the study.
The research team said, “Because we did not know the vitamin D dosage and reference level, we do not know whether the change in dementia incidence was due to vitamin D intake or deficiency. Confounding variables may also have affected the results.”