Multivitamins May Benefit Cognitive Health

Multivitamins help the body get the vitamins and minerals it, needs especially when diet alone does not supply daily requirements. A new study has found that multivitamins may also benefit cognitive health in mature adults.

The study included 2,200 participants over the age of 65. They were given a multivitamin containing essential vitamins and minerals, 500 mg of cocoa extract, or a placebo daily for 3 years. Cognitive functioning was assessed at baseline and at the end of the study period.

Participants in the multivitamin group saw a 60% slowing of cognitive decline compared to the placebo group. They also saw improvements in episodic memory, global cognition, and executive function. No changes in cognition were seen in the cocoa or placebo groups.

The study was conducted by researchers from Wale Forest University and Harvard Medical School. It was published online ahead of print on September 14, 2022 in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association.

Higher levels of alpha-carotene were associated with improved cognitive function in a previous study.