Study Reveals HIDDEN Dementia Risk (Surprising!)
When it comes to Alzheimer’s, it can seem like we’re always one step behind.
Numbers keep climbing, yet we don’t seem any closer to a cure.
That’s why discovering new lifestyle factors that can reduce your risk is the BEST way to stay ahead of this devastating condition.
Now, researchers have identified a deficiency that’s tied to a 25 percent increased risk of developing any kind of dementia.
In a recent study, researchers analyzed data on 270,000 people to determine if there was a connection between vitamin D levels and dementia risk.
It’s no surprise to me that the results painted a very clear picture of just how critical the “sunshine vitamin” is for your cognitive health.
After 14 years, people who were outright deficient in D had up to a 25 percent higher risk of developing any form of dementia. (Deficiency is defined as levels below 12 ng/mL.)
Insufficient levels (defined as less than 20 ng/mL) increased the risk by up to 15 percent.
But there was good news, too. On the flip side, folks who regularly supplemented either with vitamin D or a multivitamin had a 14-17 percent lower risk of Alzheimer’s or vascular dementia.
Estimates put 29 percent of Americans in the vitamin D deficient category and 41 percent in the insufficient category—and there’s a good chance you’re one of them.
Our risks increase with age as we get less sun exposure and our bodies become less efficient at absorbing and synthesizing D. Medications, reduced kidney function, and a drop in intestinal absorption can also put you at risk.
But you’ll only know for sure if you get your blood levels tested and then take appropriate action to get your D levels into the optimal range.
Spending time in the sun is the best way to do that (and reduce your dementia risk).
P.S. Are vitamin D supplements a waste of money? CLICK HERE to find out!
SOURCE:
Chen LJ, Sha S, Stocker H, Brenner H, Schöttker B. The associations of serum vitamin D status and vitamin D supplements use with all-cause dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and vascular dementia: a UK Biobank based prospective cohort study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2024 Apr;119(4):1052-1064. [doi: 10. 1016 /j .ajcnut. 2024.01.020].
