Vitamin D May Lower Risk of Alzheimer’s by 17 Percent

Published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, this new study analyzes the links between vitamin D and multivitamin supplementation, vitamin D deficiency, vitamin D insufficiency, and the incidence of dementia-related conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease. Involving a total of 269,229 participants from the UK, the study confirms the potential benefits of vitamin D supplementation for the prevention of dementia. The finding builds on those of previous studies published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and the journal Nutrients, which concluded that a lack of vitamin D increases the risk of dementia.

An earlier meta-analysis published in 2022 found evidence of multiple vitamin deficiencies in Alzheimer’s disease. Authored by researchers from the United States and Pakistan, the paper specifically states that deficiency of vitamin C is involved in the progression of the disease. Significantly, therefore, the researchers concluded that vitamin C supplementation is a plausible strategy for its prevention and treatment.

Similarly, a scientific review published in the Open Biology journal in 2020 examines 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.

To learn how, for people with high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, a combination of B vitamins has been shown to prevent brain shrinkage, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease, see this article on our website.