August 15, 2014 - Blog
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.
The research, published in Neurology, suggests that vitamin D ‘sufficiency’ in the context of dementia risk may be in the region of 50nmol/L. High rates of vitamin D deficiency are found among older adults with more two-thirds of the U.S. population not meeting the estimated average requirement (EAR) of vitamin D.
Solar UVB irradiation is the main source of vitamin D, although fear of skin cancer due to overexposure to solar radiation has reduced sun-exposure rates and contributes to low vitamin D in the population. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to other health issues as well, such as low birth weight in babies and increased risk of cancer. (For a closer look at vitamin D, check out this FoodTech Toolbox gallery, “Vitamin D: Illuminating the Sunshine Vitamin.")
The study, carried out by University of Exeter, involved 1,658 adults older than age 65 who did not suffer from dementia, and vitamin D serum concentrations were measured. 171 participants developed all-cause dementia, including 102 cases of Alzheimer’s disease, through a mean follow-up period of 5.6 years.
The risk of developing both all-cause dementia and Alzheimer’s disease was significantly higher in participants who were classified as either deficient (≥25 to <50nmol/L) or severely deficient (<25nmol/L) in vitamin D, compared to participants with sufficient concentrations (≥50nmol/L). In minimally adjusted models, those who were deficient had about a 51 percent increased risk of all-cause dementia, whereas the increased risk for those who were severely deficient was about 122 percent.
“This 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," explained Manfred Eggersdorfer, senior vice president, nutrition science & advocacy, DSM, and professor for healthy ageing at the University of Groningen
“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. 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."
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.
The research, published in Neurology, suggests that vitamin D ‘sufficiency’ in the context of dementia risk may be in the region of 50nmol/L. High rates of vitamin D deficiency are found among older adults with more two-thirds of the U.S. population not meeting the estimated average requirement (EAR) of vitamin D.
Solar UVB irradiation is the main source of vitamin D, although fear of skin cancer due to overexposure to solar radiation has reduced sun-exposure rates and contributes to low vitamin D in the population. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to other health issues as well, such as low birth weight in babies and increased risk of cancer. (For a closer look at vitamin D, check out this FoodTech Toolbox gallery, “Vitamin D: Illuminating the Sunshine Vitamin.")
The study, carried out by University of Exeter, involved 1,658 adults older than age 65 who did not suffer from dementia, and vitamin D serum concentrations were measured. 171 participants developed all-cause dementia, including 102 cases of Alzheimer’s disease, through a mean follow-up period of 5.6 years.
The risk of developing both all-cause dementia and Alzheimer’s disease was significantly higher in participants who were classified as either deficient (≥25 to <50nmol/L) or severely deficient (<25nmol/L) in vitamin D, compared to participants with sufficient concentrations (≥50nmol/L). In minimally adjusted models, those who were deficient had about a 51 percent increased risk of all-cause dementia, whereas the increased risk for those who were severely deficient was about 122 percent.
“This 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," explained Manfred Eggersdorfer, senior vice president, nutrition science & advocacy, DSM, and professor for healthy ageing at the University of Groningen
“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. 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."
