Link Between Vitamin D and Neurological Degeneration in Elderly

A new study has found a strong association between baseline vitamin D concentrations and the risk of incident all-cause dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, according to DSM (Parsippany, NJ).

The study, carried out by University of Exeter in UK, showed the risk of developing both all-cause dementia and Alzheimer’s disease was significantly higher in participants who were classified as either deficient or severely deficient in vitamin D, compared to participants with sufficient concentrations, reported DSM.

Professor Manfred Eggersdorfer, senior vice president, Nutrition Science & Advocacy at DSM, and professor for Healthy Ageing at the University of Groningen (Groningen, Netheralands) said the study shows a strong correlation between low vitamin D levels and the risk of developing dementia, further demonstrating the critical importance of micronutrients in protecting the aging brain.

“These new results are likely to prove useful in shaping future randomized controlled trials to investigate whether vitamin D supplementation can be used to delay or prevent the onset of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease in older adults,’ said Eggersdorfer. “With an aging population, it is expected that the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease will increase and, in the absence of a cure, it is important that we find alternative ways to address neurological degeneration.”

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