Researchers have looked into the association between the supplementation of vitamin D and dementia in over 12,388 individuals with an average age of 71 and who were free of dementia at the start of the study. 37% of them supplemented with vitamin D.
The researchers observed that supplementing with vitamin D was linked to living free of dementia for longer, and it was also discovered 40% fewer dementia cases in individuals who took vitamin D.
Out of the total number of participants, 2,696 individuals developed dementia over 10 years, of which 75% of them had no vitamin D exposure during all visits before a diagnosis of dementia, and 25% had baseline vitamin D exposure.
Although it’s known that vitamin D does have some effect on the brain that could have some significance in dementia reduction, research has however so far produced conflicting results. This study offers important insights into those who could benefit from taking vitamin D. The researchers found evidence to indicate that starting supplementation earlier before signs of cognitive decline could be especially beneficial.
Although vitamin D was effective in all individuals, significantly greater effects were observed in females in comparison to males. Effects were also greater in individuals with normal cognition, in comparison to individuals reporting signs of mild cognitive impairment, which are cognition changes that have been associated with a higher dementia risk.
The vitamin D effects were also significantly greater in individuals not carrying the APOEe4 gene, which is proven to present a higher Alzheimer’s risk, in comparison to non-carriers of the gene. The researchers suggest that individuals carrying the APOEe4 gene absorb vitamin D more efficiently from the intestine, which could diminish the effect from taking vitamin D. No blood levels were however taken to test this theory.
Prior studies have shown that low vitamin D levels are associated with a higher risk of dementia. Vitamin D plays a part in amyloid clearance, of which the accumulation in the brain is an Alzheimer’s disease characteristic. Research has also shown that vitamin D could help in protecting the brain from tau build-up, another protein that plays a part in dementia.
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