It appears that a particular vitamin might lower the risk of dementia later in life. In a new study published in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Australian researchers analyzed health data from almost 300,000 participants in the UK Biobank. They compared the participants’ vitamin D levels to brain imaging studies. The researchers observed that low vitamin D levels were linked to smaller brain volume and an increased risk of dementia and stroke. On the other hand, participants who had higher levels of vitamin D had decreased risk of dementia, and the risk decreased more the higher the vitamin D levels were. Vitamin D is important for the health of our bones, muscles, immune systems and more, but a large percentage of the population is vitamin D deficient. Talk to your doctor about having your vitamin D levels measured, but consider getting daily sunlight exposure, eating a healthy diet, and possibly adding a vitamin D supplement.
Podcast (better-than-ever-daily): Play in new window | Download
