JawaPos.com – Researchers from the University of South Australia in their study showed there is a link between low vitamin D levels and an increased risk of dementia. The researchers used data from more than 294,000 respondents at the UK Biobank. They analyzed how different levels of vitamin D impact dementia risk.
Dementia is an umbrella term for a variety of symptoms, including memory loss and cognitive difficulties that affect daily life. Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia.
The risk of dementia was predicted to be 54 percent higher in those with vitamin D levels of 25 nmol/L compared to those with normal vitamin D levels (50 nmol/L).
In some of the populations studied, the study showed that up to 17 percent of cases of dementia could be prevented if vitamin D levels were increased to normal levels (50 nmol/L).
“Our study is the first to examine the effect of very low vitamin D levels on the risk of dementia and stroke, using robust genetic analysis among a large population,” said the study’s senior investigator and Director of UniSA’s Australian Center for Precision Health Prof. Elina Hyppönen, quoted from Healthline on Sunday.
Geriatrician and Director of Geriatric Cognitive Health at Providence Saint John’s Health Center, Scott Kaiser, responded to the study by arguing that more research is needed to confirm the cause of whether low vitamin D levels actually increase the risk of dementia, given the new study showing an association between the vitamin D and the risk of dementia.
If further research is available, Kaiser says it could be useful in efforts to lower the risk of dementia. According to him, research deserves further investigation so that it can find out what types of vitamin D can be consumed by high-risk groups.
“This is a very interesting study and adds a very important area of investigation between vitamin D and dementia risk,” Kaiser told Healthline.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates there are 5.8 million people in the United States living with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementia.
Marilyn Tan, professor of clinical medicine in the Department of Endocrinology, Gerontology and Metabolism at Stanford University, thinks the most important of the research is that it serves as a reminder that more and more people are realizing the importance of regular health care, regular check-ups and laboratory checks.
“Could there be an added benefit (to vitamin D) to reduce the risk of dementia? It could be. But I think that’s too hard to say because we don’t have trials that provide vitamin D supplementation interventions to show an increased risk of dementia,” he said.
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Editor : Mohamad Nur Asikin
Reporter: Between
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