Study Suggests Branched-Chain Amino Acid Supplementation May Delay Cognitive Decline

With more than 55 million people worldwide now suffering from dementia, and around 10 million new cases occurring every year, finding effective ways to prevent and treat cognitive decline is becoming an increasingly challenging global healthcare problem. Significantly, therefore, while essentially ignored by the mainstream media, a growing body of evidence suggests that vitamins play an important role in the prevention of cognitive decline. A recent study from China adds to this evidence by confirming a lower prevalence of cognitive impairment in adults who take daily vitamin supplements.

Published in the journal Nutrients, the study assessed the cognitive status of 892 adults between July 2019 and January 2022. All aged over 50, the participants were divided into four separate groups according to their degree of cognitive impairment: a normal control group, a subjective cognitive decline group, a mild cognitive impairment group, and an Alzheimer’s disease group.

The researchers found a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease in participants with mild cognitive impairment who took vitamin D on a daily basis. They also saw a lower risk of cognitive impairment in those with normal cognition who consumed vitamin D, folic acid, or CoQ10 on a daily basis, and a lower risk of cognitive impairment in participants with normal cognitive performance who took B vitamin supplements either daily or occasionally.

Based on these findings, the researchers recommend daily vitamin supplementation – especially B vitamins – as a potential preventive measure to slow cognitive decline and neurodegeneration in the elderly. For those who already suffer from cognitive impairment, they conclude that vitamin D supplementation may also be beneficial.

To read more about the mounting evidence that vitamin supplements prevent cognitive decline, see this article on our website.