Vitamin D boosts brain power in older men, says study
The study, published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, compared the cognitive performance of more than 3,000 men aged 40 to 79 years at eight test centres across Europe.
Results showed that men with higher levels of vitamin D performed better in a test that gauges an individual’s memory, recognition capabilities and speed of information processing.
“Previous studies exploring the relationship between vitamin D and cognitive performance in adults have produced inconsistent findings but we observed a significant, independent association between a slower information-processing speed and lower levels of vitamin D,” said lead author Dr David Lee, in Manchester’s School of Translational Medicine.
Vitamin D
“The main strengths of our study are that it is based on a large population sample and took into account potential influences, such as depression and levels of physical activity.
“Interestingly, the association between increased vitamin D and faster information processing was more significant in men aged over 60 years, although the biological reasons for this remain unclear.
“The positive effects vitamin D appears to have on the brain need to be explored further but certainly raise questions about its potential benefit for those with or susceptible to dementia.”
Rebecca Wood, Chief Executive of the Alzheimer’s Research Trust, said: “This extensive study adds to growing evidence of the positive effect that vitamin D can have on the brain. Many foods that contain vitamin D, such as oily fish and eggs, are also good sources of vitamin B12, which studies have shown can also help protect the brain. Sensible exposure to sunlight is another important source of vitamin D for the body, never easy in a British summer.”
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People with Parkinson’s disease are more likely to be deficient in vitamin D than healthy older people, say US scientists reporting in the journal Archives of Neurology
Now researchers want to find out if vitamin D supplements could ease the symptoms of the neurological disease.
A study conducted at the Emory University in the US compared the vitamin D levels of 100 patients with Parkinson’s to 99 similarly matched, healthy individuals. The team found that 55 per cent of the Parkinson’s patients had low levels of vitamin D compared with 36 per cent of the healthy participants.
The scientists do not know yet whether vitamin D deficiency is a cause or result of the disease – and more tests are under way to find out.
‘We found that vitamin D insufficiency may have a unique association with Parkinson’s, which is intriguing and warrants further investigation,’ said study leader Dr Marian Evatt. Researchers have found that the part of the brain affected by Parkinson’s – the substantia nigra – is sensitive to vitamin D, which may suggest that the vitamin is important in maintaining the health of this area of the brain.
About 120,000 people in the UK have the condition, which mostly affects those over 50. Parkinson’s is a brain disease that involves damage to nerve cells in the substantia nigra. These cells produce a chemical called dopamine that helps control movement. Common symptoms include shaking, stiffness and problems with walking, talking and writing.
No one knows why some people develop Parkinson’s disease but it is thought that a number of environmental and genetic factors may be involved. Although there is no cure at present, a number of drugs have been developed to ease the symptoms.
We get most of our vitamin D through exposure to sunlight but, as we age, our skin becomes less efficient at making the vitamin and it is not unusual for older people to become deficient. The Department of Health recommends that people over 65 take a daily supplement of 10mcg.
Dr Kieran Breen, Director of Research at the Parkinson’s Disease Society welcomed the research: ‘Studies like this provide clues as to what happens to the brain of people living with Parkinson’s and the potential link between the condition and a vitamin deficiency.
‘Further research is required to determine at what stage the deficiency in vitamin levels occur in the brains of people with Parkinson’s and whether the provision of a dietary supplement, or increased exposure to sunlight may help alleviate symptoms or have an effect on the rate of the condition’s progression.
‘This would help us answer the question as to whether the decrease in vitamin D levels in Parkinson’s is a cause or effect of the condition.’
Taking vitamin D supplements may help to prolong your life, according a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine
Researchers looked at 18 different studies involving over 57,000 people. What they found was that those who took vitamin D supplements everyday were significantly less likely to die over a six-year period than those who did not take the supplement.
Previous research has shown that people who don’t get enough vitamin D are more prone to a number of diseases including heart disease, cancer, diabetes and osteoporosis. This latest study goes beyond that suggesting that taking vitamin D supplements may reduce the risk of dying from any cause.
‘Intake of ordinary doses of vitamin D supplements seems to be associated with decreases in total mortality rates,’ said the authors, Philippe Autier of the International Agency for Cancer Research in France and Sara Gandini of the European Institute of Oncology in Milan.
The team found that over a six-year period, subjects who took a vitamin D supplement were seven per cent less likely to die than those who shunned the vitamin. Although they were unable to pinpoint the exact cause of these extra health benefits, they think that vitamin D may boost the immune system and prevent the spread of cancerous cells.
Most of our vitamin D comes from sunshine, so even a healthy and well balanced diet is unlikely to provide enough. Vitamin D is made under the skin when you expose yourself to the sunlight. This is why it is sometimes known as the ‘sunshine vitamin’.
Vitamin D has a number of important functions. It helps regulate the amount of calcium in the body and is essential for maintaining healthy bones. It is also thought to protect against heart disease and multiple sclerosis, and have anti-cancer properties.
There are very few foods that contain vitamin D naturally. It can be found in reasonable quantities in oily fish such as salmon, sardines and trout. Cod liver oil is another rich source and there are small amounts in eggs and meat.
Some foods like breakfast cereals, margarine and milk have vitamin D added.
The Foods Standards Agency does not recommend a specific daily dose of vitamin D unless you are elderly, pregnant, of Asian origin, get little sun exposure or eat no meat or oily fish, please check their website for specific recommendations. It is important not to take too much as this could have harmful effects, including damaging the bones.
‘There is a new focus on vitamin D for many other health conditions other than bone health. This study supports the use of supplements in older people but it is important to stick to the recommended dose on the label,’ said Ursula Arens, spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association.
A new report suggests vitamin D could be important in keeping diabetes at bay
Scientists have long championed the ‘sunshine vitamin’ for its protective properties against a whole range of health problems including cancer, osteoporosis and heart disease.
Now researchers from Loyola University Chicago Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing have found that the vitamin may ward off diabetes too.
The study review, published in the journal Diabetes Educator, analysed a number of different studies looking at the link between vitamin D levels and diabetes.
One study, involving around 3,000 people with type 1 diabetes found a decreased risk in disease for those who took vitamin D supplements. Other studies reviewed suggested that vitamin D supplements might protect against the more common, type 2 variant of diabetes as well. It is thought that vitamin D plays an essential role in insulin production and sensitivity.
‘Management of vitamin D deficiency may be a simple and cost-effective method to improve blood sugar control and prevent the serious complications associated with diabetes,’ said Joanne Kouba, co-author of the Loyola University report.
The researchers argue that everyone at risk for diabetes should be screened for low vitamin D levels so that any deficiency can be spotted and remedied.
It is very difficult to get enough vitamin D in the diet. Foods rich in the nutrient include oily fish like salmon, sardines and trout. There are also small amounts in eggs and meat and some foods like breakfast cereals and margarine may be fortified with the vitamin. Most people get the majority of their vitamin D through exposure to sunlight. But as we get older the skin becomes less efficient at producing vitamin D – this combined with the fact that older people tend to go out less means that vitamin D deficiency becomes more common as we age.
‘Health professional are increasingly becoming aware that even mild vitamin D deficiency can be detrimental for long-term health,’ says Jacqui Lowdon, registered dietician and spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association. ‘Studies have shown that vitamin D can help protect against breast cancer and prostate cancer as well as helping to maintain strong bones. There is also evidence that people who are deficient are more prone to conditions like diabetes, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis too.’
Lowdon advises following the government guidelines that recommend that everyone over the age of 65 should take 10 micrograms of vitamin D every day.
‘A supplement is a good idea, but make sure you tailor the supplement to your age and medical condition and don’t take more than the recommended dose,’ says Lowdon. ‘It is also a good idea to try and get out into the sunlight for about 20-30 minutes a day between the months of April and September to naturally boost your vitamin D levels.’