There is a lot of debate regarding the potential health benefits of multi vitamins. They are certainly helpful to those with a vitamin deficiency, but how useful are they if you already have adequate nutrition? One area of investigation is how they could improve your cognitive function and reduce your dementia risk.
Aging and health
Dementia is often considered a disease of aging, and it is true it is significantly more common in the older population. This is alongside a range of other age-related medical problems that can have a knock-on impact on your overall health. One way to remain healthy for longer is through a balanced diet that supplies you with all the nutrients you need to function effectively, but another symptom of aging is that your ability to absorb nutrients is impaired. You could eat the same things, but not receive the same nutritional benefits. This is why it is often recommended that people over 55 take supplements such as multi vitamins, to balance out the vitamin deficiencies associated with aging.
The benefit of multi vitamins
Multi vitamins are relatively cheap compared to individual supplements, and can combine a range of essential nutrients such as vitamin B12, vitamin D and calcium, making them well-suited to remedy a general difficulty with nutrient absorption. These nutrients provide a wide variety of vital functions within the body, from directly boosting brain function, to strengthening the immune system and cardiovascular system, all of which makes it easier to fight disease and preserve your health for longer.
More than one study has linked multi vitamins to improved memory and cognition. Vitamin D in particular is associated with reduced dementia risk, with one French study suggesting a threefold increase in Alzheimer’s disease in those with a vitamin D deficiency. Even the NHS recommends supplementing your vitamin D.
Taking multi vitamins is not going to magically make you immune to dementia, or any other disease of aging, but it may strengthen your brain and immune system so you are better placed to deal with the health complications that often arise as we age.