Angela Sipes
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Vitamin D, or the “sunshine vitamin,” is essential for bones and the immune system, but it may also improve brain health, numerous studies suggest.
Researchers came to this conclusion in part by investigating the negative effects of vitamin D deficiency.
The first of its kind study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that low levels of vitamin D are associated with reduced brain volumes.
The University of South Australia-led study involving more than 295,000 genetic profiles in the UK Biobank also suggests that correcting vitamin D deficiency could prevent up to 17 per cent of dementia cases.
Research has shown that people with low levels of vitamin D perform worse on memory tests.
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The investigation has shown that people with low levels of vitamin D perform worse on memory tests.
Increasing your sunshine vitamin intake has also been shown to improve memory function.
in a study Published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, the researchers examined vitamin D in brain tissue.
They found that higher levels of the vitamin were associated with better cognitive function: stronger memory and slower progression of cognitive decline.
According to the authors, this study marked the first time that vitamin D levels in brain tissue were studied.
What explains this effect?
“This vitamin has been shown to be neuroprotective and participate in the regulation of genes important for brain function,” explained nutritionist Rob Hobson.
Vitamin D also helps reduce inflammation, which plays a role in the development of chronic diseases and this includes brain deterioration, notes the nutritionist.
he quotes investigation published in the journal Neurology showing that chronic inflammation can affect brain health and lead to cognitive decline.
Vitamin D helps reduce inflammation, which plays a role in the development of chronic diseases.
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Should you take a vitamin D supplement?
Our body gets most of the vitamin D it needs from sunlight; However, for much of the year in the UK there is simply not enough sunlight, which is why the UK government recommends a daily supplement between the months of October and March.
For dark-skinned people, those who spend a lot of time indoors, and are over 50 years old, year-round supplementation is recommended.
Unfortunately, unlike most other vitamins, we cannot get the vitamin D we need from our diet because there are few food sources.
While these include oily fish and liver, they’re not exactly top of most Brits’ weekly diet, although eggs and butter also count.
That’s why Public Health England (PHE) recommends everyone take 10 micrograms (400 IU) of vitamin D a day.
“When choosing a supplement, select one that contains the form known as vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol), as it is significantly more effective at maintaining blood levels of vitamin D than the form of vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol),” advised Mr. Hobson.
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