Vitamin Found to Reduce Alzheimer's Disease Risk 0 13

A higher level of vitamin D in middle age was found to be associated with fewer signs of Alzheimer's disease in the future. This conclusion was reached by researchers whose work was published in the journal Neurology Open Access.

The study involved 793 participants with an average age of about 39 years. Initially, their blood vitamin D levels were measured, and approximately 16 years later, brain scans were conducted to assess the accumulation of dementia-related proteins—tau and beta-amyloid.

It turned out that individuals with higher vitamin D levels had lower tau protein levels—one of the key markers of Alzheimer's disease. However, no association was found with the other protein, beta-amyloid. The scientists accounted for other factors that could have influenced the results, including age, gender, and symptoms of depression.

The authors note that this is a statistical association, not a proven cause. Nevertheless, the results suggest that vitamin D levels may be a potentially manageable risk factor.