aThe rise in gin is inevitable, but that doesn’t mean we should stop trying to slow it down. And the easier the intervention, the better.
In a study published in American Journal of Clinical NutritionResearchers report that taking over-the-counter multivitamins can slow age-related cognitive decline by up to two years.
The trial is part of a series led by Massachusetts General Brigham scientists comparing people 60 and older taking Centrum Silver to those taking a placebo. It was funded by the National Institutes of Health and Mars Edge, a branch of the food company Mars Inc., and Centrum maker Haleon donated the vitamins. The sponsors and funders had no role in the design of the study or analysis of the results.
Two previous studies in this series evaluated participants over two to three years via telephone or web interviews and found that those taking a daily multivitamin were more likely than those taking a placebo. They were also found to have high scores on cognitive tests. In this latest study, involving 573 people directly tested by the researchers, scientists found similar benefits. All three studies involving more than 5,000 volunteers show that taking a daily multivitamin for up to three years can slow cognitive aging in the brain by two years.
“The consistent effects of multivitamins in three separate, placebo-controlled studies are compelling and exciting,” said Roberts, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and director of preventive medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. says Dr. Joan Manson, department chair and co-director. The study was conducted with scientists from Columbia University and Wake Forest University. “I would even say they are great.”
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Professor Munson said each of the three studies differed slightly in a variety of cognitive tests, including memory skills such as immediate and delayed recall of word lists, naming animals and vegetables, and counting numbers backwards. It has been shown to have some effect. All three trials showed significant benefits, especially for memory.
These results are the first step toward a better understanding of how vitamins and nutrients, especially the 20 essential micronutrients found in most multivitamins, can support brain health. But questions remain. For example, are multivitamin supplements already providing adequate levels of these vitamins and nutrients in older adults, or are they addressing deficiencies?Manson said the research team found that the participants’ dietary habits He said he has received a variety of health information, ranging from poor to good, and plans to investigate the issue further. “There are some indications that people with poorer diets do better, but we need to dig deeper into these questions,” she says. “Benefits may be greater in study populations with lower diet quality, lower education levels, and lower socio-economic status, as nutritional deficiencies may be more prevalent in such populations. Because it is expensive.”
They will also investigate whether certain vitamins and nutrients become more important for the brain as we age, such as vitamin B12, vitamin D, vitamin E, lutein, and zinc. Other studies have reported, for example, that as we age, we tend to absorb less vitamin B12 and synthesize less vitamin D from our skin. Additionally, although this study only followed participants for up to three years, future trials may also examine whether long-term use of multivitamins provides even greater benefits for the brain.
While the results are encouraging, Munson says they do not suggest that vitamins can replace a healthy diet or lifestyle. “This is by no means to say that people should just be happy with their diet and take a pill. However, multivitamins contain a comprehensive range of essential vitamins and minerals, and Multivitamins can serve as a complement to a healthy diet and lifestyle, as they may be helpful if you are deficient in one or the other.
