ANI
29 May 2023, 19:27 GMT+10
New York [US], May 29 (ANI): A comprehensive study headed by experts at Columbia University and Brigham and Women's Hospital/Harvard found that taking a daily multivitamin pill helps reduce age-related memory deterioration.
"Cognitive ageing is a top health concern for older adults, and this study suggests that there may be a simple, inexpensive way to help older adults slow down memory decline," says study leader Adam M Brickman, PhD, professor of neuropsychology at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.
Many older people take vitamins or dietary supplements under the assumption that they will help maintain general health. But studies that have tested whether they improve memory and brain function have been mixed, and very few large-scale, randomized trials have been done.
Study methodsIn the current study, more than 3,500 adults (mostly non-Hispanic white) over age 60 were randomly assigned to take a daily multivitamin supplement or placebo for three years. At the end of each year, participants performed a series of online cognitive assessments at home designed to test memory function of the hippocampus, an area of the brain that is affected by normal ageing. The COSMOS-Web study is part of a large clinical trial led by BrighamWomen's Hospital and Harvard called the Cocoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study (COSMOS).
By the end of the first year, memory improved for people taking a daily multivitamin, compared with those taking a placebo. The researchers estimate the improvement, which was sustained over the three-year study period, was equivalent to about three years of age-related memory decline. The effect was more pronounced in participants with underlying cardiovascular disease.
The results of the new study are consistent with another recent COSMOS study of more than 2,200 older adults that found that taking a daily multivitamin improved overall cognition, memory recall, and attention, effects that were also more pronounced in those with underlying cardiovascular disease.
"There is evidence that people with cardiovascular disease may have lower micronutrient levels that multivitamins may correct, but we don't really know right now why the effect is stronger in this group," says Brickman.
Good nutrition important for the ageing brainThough the researchers did not look at whether any specific component of the multivitamin supplement was linked to the improvement in memory, the findings support growing evidence that nutrition is important for optimizing brain health as we age.
"Our study shows that the ageing brain may be more sensitive to nutrition than we realized, though it may not be so important to find out which specific nutrient helps slow age-related cognitive decline," says Lok-Kin Yeung, PhD, a postdoctoral researcher in Columbia's Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain and first author of the study.
"The finding that a daily multivitamin improved memory in two separate cognition studies in the COSMOS randomized trial is remarkable, suggesting that multivitamin supplementation holds promise as a safe, accessible, and affordable approach to protecting cognitive health in older adults," says co-author JoAnn Manson, MD, chief of the Division of Preventive Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital.
"Supplementation of any kind shouldn't take the place of more holistic ways of getting the same micronutrients," adds Brickman. "Though multivitamins are generally safe, people should always consult a physician before taking them." (ANI)
Get a daily dose of New York Telegraph news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to New York Telegraph.
More InformationHONIARA, Solomon Islands: Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare revealed that he opted out of a Pacific Islands leaders' summit at the ...
SACRAMENTO, California: Intending to raise some US$160 million per year to help prevent gun violence, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed ...
MANILA, The Philippines: The Philippines remains steadfast in its resolve not to yield to Chinese efforts to obstruct its fishermen ...
VICTORIA, Texas: This week, U.S. District Judge Drew Tipton in Victoria, Texas, ruled that President Joe Biden did not have ...
WASHINGTON D.C.: The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said it is investigating a JetBlue flight on Monday that experienced sudden ...
SEOUL, South Korea: Marking a tougher stand against North Korea, South Korea held its first large-scale military parade in over ...
LONG ISLAND, New York: On Thursday, a bus carrying members of a high school marching band traveling to a music ...
(Photo credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports) Charlotte Hornets center Kai Jones is expected to miss training camp for personal reasons ...
(Photo credit: Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK) New York Giants star running back Saquon Barkley is doubtful to ...
Washington [US], September 30 (ANI): A recent study examined the long-term effects of yoga therapy to see whether including it ...
(Photo credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports) Breanna Stewart rose to the occasion Friday and the New York Liberty followed ...
(Photo credit: Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK) New York Giants star running back Saquon Barkley will be a ...