- A new study finds that taking a daily multivitamin may improve cognition and memory.
- Researchers found that people who took the multivitamin had a slight benefit in memory and cognitive function over a two-year period.
- This vitamin may aid in cognitive aging.
A new study finds that multivitamins may help maintain both cognition and memory.
A new study published online in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition on January 18, 2024, reports that daily multivitamin supplementation is beneficial for both global cognition and episodic memory.
This study is the third in a series that is part of the COcoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study (COSMOS).
The purpose of COSMOS is to determine whether cocoa flavanols and multivitamins have the ability to reduce the risk of certain health conditions such as cognitive decline, heart disease, stroke, and cancer.
In two previous COSMOS studies, researchers assessed people’s cognition via phone and internet. In this study, COSMOS-Clinic, we conducted cognitive assessments on a subset of his 573 patients in the clinic.
After analyzing the data, the research team found that the multivitamin provided a “moderate” benefit for these people over two years. Participants also saw significant improvements in their episodic memory.
Combining data from all three studies, we found strong evidence of improvements in both global cognition and episodic memory.
The study authors estimated that daily supplementation delayed cognitive aging by about two years compared to patients who took a placebo rather than a multivitamin.
These findings are important, according to Kelsey Costa, MD, MS, RDN, registered dietitian and nutrition consultant with the National Coalition on Healthcare.[m]Cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pose significant health challenges in the United States, especially in the aging population. ”
Costa pointed out that MCI patients:
Furthermore, the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease is expected to reach excess levels.
“Given the increasing prevalence of MCI and AD, especially in older adults and certain groups, finding safe and effective preventive measures is critical,” Costa said. “This study suggests that daily multivitamin supplementation may serve as an important part of the solution.”
Melanie Murphy Richter, MS, RD, a registered dietitian and lecturer in nutritional physiology at the University of California, Irvine, believes that the vitamins and minerals in multivitamins play an important role in catalyzing various brain functions. explained.
“For example, certain vitamins such as B6 and B12 are required to produce the brain neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine,” she said.
Richter further said that neurotransmitters are involved in sending signals to other parts of the body.
“When their production is insufficient, our signaling pathways become slow or ineffective. Not to mention, serotonin determines our sleep cycles. Lack of serotonin production causes sleep disorders. “It is known to accelerate aging throughout the body, including the brain,” she explained.
Richter says other micronutrients in multivitamins, such as vitamins C and E and minerals like selenium and zinc, can protect against oxidative damage associated with age-related cognitive decline. That’s what it means.
Richter added that micronutrients are also important in breaking down macronutrients such as carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Micronutrient deficiencies can prevent your brain from breaking down food for energy, which can also deprive your brain of energy.
“This can lead to brain fog, memory loss, and ultimately more severe memory loss over time,” she explained.
Finally, Richter pointed to minerals like magnesium, zinc, and copper that play a big role in maintaining the brain’s electrical charge.
“Inadequate supply of these micronutrients can lead to impaired communication between brain cells, leading to decreased overall brain function,” she said.
Claire Sexton, senior director of scientific programs and outreach at the Alzheimer’s Association, said while these results are encouraging, the organization is not prepared to recommend widespread use of multivitamins to prevent cognitive decline. said that it has not been done.
“Independent validation studies with larger, more diverse and representative study populations are needed,” she said.
“It is important that future treatments and prevention are effective for all people,” Sexton added. “For example, at COSMOS-Clinic, less than 2% of non-whites were in the multivitamin group and less than 5% were non-white in the placebo group.”
However, she noted that multivitamins are readily available and relatively affordable. “Once confirmed, these promising findings could have major impacts on public health, including improving brain health, reducing health care costs, and reducing caregiver burden, especially in older adults.”
Sexton also advises talking to your health care provider about the benefits and risks of any nutritional supplements you take, including multivitamins, and while it’s best to get your nutrients through a balanced diet, it’s always a good idea to He pointed out that it was not possible.
Researchers have found that daily multivitamin supplements are associated with delayed cognitive aging and improved memory.
This is important because the prevalence of dementia is increasing.
Improved memory and cognition may be due to the important role vitamins and minerals play in brain health.
However, it is too early to tell whether multivitamins should be taken as a strategy to prevent age-related cognitive decline. If you have questions about whether a multivitamin supplement is right for you, ask your doctor.
