Vitamin D deficiency and cognitive impairment tend to be common in older adults, and new research suggests the two factors may be linked.
 

In a new study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center researchers reported that a four-year analysis of about 3,000 healthy adults — aged 70 to 79 — found that those with low levels of vitamin D were more likely to develop cognitive problems, such as memory loss and impaired thinking.

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The findings add to growing scientific evidence that suggests vitamin D may help boost brain power in older adults and ease age-related mental declines.
 

"This study provides increasing evidence that suggests there is an association between low vitamin D levels and cognitive decline over time," said lead researcher Valerie Wilson, M.D., assistant professor of geriatrics at Wake Forest Baptist. "Although this study cannot establish a direct cause and effect relationship, it would have a huge public health implication if vitamin D supplementation could be shown to improve cognitive performance over time because deficiency is so common in the population."
 

Dr. Wilson said additional studies are needed to determine whether vitamin D supplementation can prevent cognitive decline.
 

"Doctors need this information to make well-supported recommendations to their patients," she added. "Further research is also needed to evaluate whether specific cognitive domains, such as memory versus concentration, are especially sensitive to low vitamin D levels."

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The study was funded, in part, by the National Institutes of Health.