Vitamin Linked to 40% LOWER Dementia Risk

If there were a pill that could prevent dementia, it would sell like hotcakes.

After all, cases are skyrocketing—we’re looking at nearly 14 million Americans with dementia by 2060—with no cure in sight.

Families everywhere are watching loved ones slip away, desperately hoping for something that could make a difference.

While that miracle pill doesn’t exist, here’s the next best thing:

It’s a way to slash your risk by as much as 40 percent.

Your brain loves vitamin D.

In fact, there are receptors in your brain that use D for neuroprotection, cognitive function, and to fight brain inflammation.

We already know that vitamin D deficiency significantly increases your dementia risk—and having higher concentrations in your brain improves overall cognitive health.

Now, this vital vitamin has specifically been tied to a reduced risk of both dementia and mortality.

Researchers studied the effects of vitamin D in over 12,000 dementia-free adults over age 71. They were divided into two groups—one with normal cognition and the other showing early signs of mild cognitive impairment.

Then came the key question: Who was taking vitamin D?

Based on the results, I know which group I would have wanted to be in. The vitamin D group had a 40 percent lower risk of dementia and a 15 percent higher survival rate after five years.

Meanwhile, 75 percent of the volunteers who developed dementia weren’t taking vitamin D.

As you’d expect, those who had mild cognitive impairment at the start of the study had an increased risk of developing dementia, compared to those with normal cognition.

However, participants with mild cognitive impairment who were also taking vitamin D had a 33 percent lower incidence of dementia compared to those not taking vitamin D.

Similar protection was seen in people with the APOE4 gene, which increases dementia risk. Those with the gene who took vitamin D had a 33 percent lower incidence compared to those with the gene who didn’t supplement.

Now, before you rush to the supplement aisle, I’ll admit that this study had limitations.

For example, it didn’t determine exactly how much vitamin D is necessary to obtain its brain-protective effects. But I’m ok with that—because there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to vitamin D.

The best amount for you will depend on your own blood levels.

Have them checked at least yearly, and then take the necessary steps to boost your levels, such as spending time in the sun with your skin exposed, eating more vitamin-D-rich foods, and taking a supplement if necessary.

P.S. Discover the secret to maintaining vitamin D levels year-round.

View Sources

Maryam Ghahremani, et al., Vitamin D supplementation and incident dementia: Effects of sex, APOE, and baseline cognitive status, Alzheimer’s & Dementia, Volume 15, Issue 1, January‐March 2023, e12404, doi:10.1002/dad2.12404