French researchers have recently published results from a study looking at older women, and their vitamin D intakes. After following the women for seven years, the researchers concluded that the women who did not take a daily vitamin D supplement at the start of the study had a greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease compared to the women who took one. Potential brain benefits of vitamin D can also be linked to foods rich in the vitamin, such as fish.
Exposure to the sun is an important way our body manufactures vitamin D. However, weak levels of sun in wintery northern climates may not supply the amount of the “sunshine” vitamin we need. Fortified foods, as well as vitamin D supplements can help.
The results of this study suggest that vitamin D is not only essential to our bone health, but to our brain health as well…….The Journal of Gerontology MedScience April 2012