Low levels of vitamin D? You're more likely to develop dementia

A recent study suggests that low vitamin D boosts your dementia risk.

14:21 07 August 2014

Previous studies have already established a link between low levels of vitamin D and dementia. However, a more recent study, which is said to be the largest and most wide-ranging yet, confirmed that low amounts of vitamin D in the body has a direct link to the increased chances of developing dementia. Despite these findings, experts say it is still too early to say that the elderly should start taking vitamin D as a preventive treatment. 

 

Dr David Llewellyn, the lead researcher from University of Exeter Medical School, said: "We expected to find an association between low vitamin D levels and the risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease, but the results were surprising - we actually found that the association was twice as strong as we anticipated."

 

"We need to be cautious at this early stage and our latest results do not demonstrate that low vitamin D levels cause dementia.

 

"That said, our findings are very encouraging, and even if a small number of people could benefit, this would have enormous public health implications given the devastating and costly nature of dementia."

 

Meanwhile, Dr Clare Walton, research communications manager at Alzheimer's Society, said: "A study like this can't tell us whether being deficient in vitamin D can cause dementia.

 

"At the moment we are still unclear how the two might be linked and there is even a possibility another unknown factor could cause someone to have both dementia and low vitamin D levels.

 

"If this were the case, using supplements or sun exposure to raise vitamin D levels might have no effect on the development of dementia or Alzheimer's disease."