You know that vitamin D is important, but do you realize just how important it is? According to new research published in the journal Neurology, skimping on the nutrient may double your risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
For the study, researchers evaluated 1,658 dementia-free people ages 65 and older. They tested their vitamin D levels and then followed them for an average of 5.6 years. In that time, 171 study participants developed dementia, and 102 developed Alzheimer’s disease.
The researchers found that the participants with low levels of vitamin D were 53 percent more likely to develop dementia, while those with severe deficiencies were 125 percent more likely to suffer from the condition than participants with healthy levels. Likewise, people with low D had a 70 percent increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease—and those with a severe deficiency had a 120 percent increased risk. Keep in mind that this was after adjusting for factors that could affect risk, such as smoking, alcohol consumption, and education.
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While researchers expected to see a link between vitamin D deficiencies and cognitive disease—the vitamin is known to help prevent the accumulation of plaque within the brain and has been linked to lower levels of Alzheimer’s risk—they were surprised that the increase in risk was so high; it was actually twice as high as they expected.
Study authors say more research is needed, but if these findings bear out, they could have a huge impact on women’s health.
Alzheimer’s disease, which affects 5.2 million people in the U.S., is the most common type of dementia associated with aging, according to the Alzheimer’s Association—and almost two-thirds of American seniors living with Alzheimer’s are women.
Unfortunately, three quarters of Americans are deficient in vitamin D, according to research in the Archives of Internal Medicine. The government recommends adults get 600 IU (international units), or 15 micrograms, of vitamin D per day, but many experts recommend getting more.
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So how can you up your D-fense? Catching some sun (with SPF on, of course), and filling up D-rich foods, including fatty fish (such as tuna, mackerel, and salmon) can help.
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