Studies show that daily multivitamins improve memory in older adults.
A new study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that taking a daily multivitamin supplement may help reduce the risk of forgetfulness that occurs with aging.
The study, which analyzed data from more than 3,500 elderly participants, found that those who took a daily centrum silver pill over a three-year period had better memories than those who received placebo treatment. was Adam Berkman, co-author of the study, called the effects “very, very encouraging” and highlighted that cognitive change and memory loss are major concerns for older adults.
The study was conducted as part of the Cocoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study (COSMOS), a multi-year study investigating the effects of cocoa supplements and multivitamins on cognition, cancer risk and cardiovascular events. Researchers followed a subset of 3,562 people who were randomly assigned to receive a multivitamin or a placebo. Memory tests were administered at the beginning of the study, at one year and at three years.
Compared to the placebo group, those taking the multivitamin performed significantly better on the memory test, which equated to an improvement of 3.1 years compared to the placebo.
The study replicates the results of an earlier trial, COSMOS-Mind, which also showed cognitive benefits from taking multivitamins. It is unusual for researchers to replicate the results of large studies, so this replication provides greater confidence in the data. However, researchers are not yet sure which specific ingredient in multivitamins drives the cognitive effects, and it remains to be seen whether other brands of multivitamins will produce similar results.
Although the effect seen in the study is relatively small, combining multivitamin supplements with other lifestyle changes known to reduce cognitive decline, such as exercise and following a Mediterranean diet, is a major combination. Can cause side effects. However, the results of the study may not apply to all individuals, as the participants were highly motivated individuals with at least a college education.
Dr. Paul Newhouse, director of the Vanderbilt Center for Cognitive Medicine, suggests that longer studies are needed to determine the full benefits of multivitamin supplementation for preventing cognitive decline. He emphasizes that doctors should not currently prescribe multivitamins for this purpose, but acknowledges that studies show they may be beneficial and not harmful.
Dr. Ridhi Patira, of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center’s Alzheimer’s Research Center, added that the follow-up period in the study may not be long enough to recommend multivitamins for cognitive enhancement, because the reduction in healthy people with normal cognition It’s slow and it’s possible. It takes years to figure out.