Previously published research has established that people with low vitamin D levels are more likely to develop a decline in mental functioning. A new study published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, confirms that Vitamin D substantially increases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. The authors felt that the evidence is now so clear that they entitled their research paper Link Between Vitamin D, Dementia Risk Confirmed. Participants in the study who were severely Vitamin D deficient were more than twice as likely to develop dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
In this study 1,658 adults aged 65 and older who were free from dementia at the start of the study, were followed for six years to see who went on to develop Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. Those who were moderately deficient in vitamin D had a 53 per cent increased risk of developing dementia of any kind, and the risk increased to 125 per cent in those who were severely deficient. Specifically for the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, the increases were 69% for the moderately Vitamin D deficient, and 122% for those with a severe deficiency.
Another important piece of information revealed in this research is that vitamin D levels above 50 nmol/L are most strongly associated with good brain health. The proactive patient should be armed with this knowledge because the standard lab report normally considers 30 nmol/L and above as “normal”. The patient should ask that their vitamin D level be tested, and consider supplementation if told that their Vitamin D is level is “OK” because it is above 30. If it is considered “normal ‘ but below is less than 50 then increasing that level to above 50 may be the smart move for the brain .
One important source of Vitamin D is sunlight exposure. Other foods containing Vitamin D include eggs, milk products, and liver.
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