Researchers in Canada and the UK investigated the link between dementia and vitamin D intake.

More than 12,388 members of the US National Alzheimers Coordinating Center, with a mean age of 71 and no dementia at the time of enrollment, participated in the study published in Alzheimer′s & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring.

The percentage of the group that used vitamin D supplements, 37% (4,637), was found to be dementia-free for a lifespan. During ten years, 2,696 persons from the overall sample developed dementia; of these, 2,017 (or 75% of them) had no exposure to vitamin D at any point during their visits before being diagnosed with dementia, while 679 (or 25% of them) had baseline exposure.

Although vitamin D was effective in all groups, the team discovered that females experienced effects that were noticeably bigger than those in males. Impacts were more pronounced in those with normal cognition compared to individuals who reported minor cognitive impairment.

The APOEe4 gene increases the chance of developing Alzheimers dementia. According to scientists, those with the APOEe4 gene had improved intestinal absorption of vitamin D, which might lessen the effects of vitamin D supplementation. Also, it was observed that vitamin D effects were noticeably stronger in those who did not contain the APOEe4 gene than in non-carriers. To verify this theory, no blood samples were taken.

Previous studies have also revealed that vitamin D may assist in protecting the brain from tau buildup, another protein linked to the onset of dementia, and helps remove amyloid from the brain, which builds up in Alzheimer′s disease.

Thus the current study concluded that vitamin D intake might help prevent dementia.

(Study: https://theprint.in/health/study-shows-taking-vitamin-d-might-help-prevent-dementia/1420995/)