Daily Vitamins Could Prevent The Onset Of Cognitive Impairment

Cognitive decline does not have to be an inevitable consequence of old age. Research shows that through an optimum intake of the correct micronutrients, diseases such as Alzheimer’s can be prevented and even reversed.

A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2015 found that micronutrient supplements can halt the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Carried out over a period of two years by scientists at the University of Oxford in the UK, it followed 168 elderly people and showed that, for participants with high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, a combination of B vitamins prevented brain shrinkage, a hallmark of the devastating condition.

Similarly, a scientific review published in the Open Biology journal in 2020 examined the role of antioxidants and a nutrient-rich diet in the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Authored by researchers from the University of Western Australia, the paper describes how evidence is accumulating that, through taking advantage of their synergistic effects, combinations of antioxidants may be effective not only in preventing Alzheimer’s disease but also in reversing it. Advising combining antioxidant supplements with a nutrient-rich diet, the researchers say such an approach may also be effective against other neurodegenerative diseases.

To read how a recent meta-analysis supports the use of vitamin C supplements for the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, see this article on our website.