Daily consumption of multivitamin supplements has a positive influence in preserving memory in the over-60s. Evidence emerges from a double-placebo clinical study (Yeung et al., 2023) published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. (1)
The role of multivitamin supplements in memory
The COSMOS-Web study was conducted by researchers at Columbia University and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.
The participants-3,562 over-60s-took either a multivitamin supplement (a common Centrum Silver) or a placebo every day for three years.
Evaluation of the effects of integration was conducted by means of a series of web-based neuropsychological tests.
Two steps
After the first year, research participants were tested on the efficiency of episodic memory, that is, the long-term memory that remembers all events in one’s life.
At the end of the three-year period, in addition to episodic memory, any changes on neuropsychological tasks of novel object recognition and executive function were assessed.
Memory and cognitive ability ‘rejuvenated’ by 3 years
The result of the research is encouraging. Elderly people treated with multivitamin supplements were found to be in better cognitive and memory condition–compared with those treated with placebo–both after the first year and at the end of the three-year period.
Their memory and cognitive ability were judged to be equal to those of people 3.1 years younger.
‘Daily multivitamin supplementation, compared with placebo, improves memory in the elderly. Multivitamin supplementation shows promise as a safe and affordable approach to maintaining cognitive health in old age‘, conclude the study authors.
Daily intake of multivitamin and multimineral supplements has also been associated-in a previous double-blind versus placebo clinical trial (Fantaconte et al., 2020) published in Nutrients-with immune system strengthening in the over-55s. (2)
The only limitation of this evidence is the accessibility of supplements, in Italy as (almost?) everywhere excluded from NHS benefits and not affordable for everyone. Prevention remains on paper.
Marta Strinati
Notes
(1) Lok-Kin Yeung, Daniel M. Alschuler, Melanie Wall, Heike Luttmann-Gibson, Trisha Copeland, Christiane Hale, Richard P. Sloan, Howard D. Sesso, JoAnn E. Manson, Adam M. Brickman. Multivitamin Supplementation Improves Memory in Older Adults: A Randomized Clinical Trial. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajcnut.2023.05.011
(2) Dario Dongo, Andrea Adelmo Della Penna. Over-55, strengthen the immune system with vitamin and mineral supplements. Studio. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 23.8.20
Professional journalist since January 1995, he has worked for newspapers (Il Messaggero, Paese Sera, La Stampa) and periodicals (NumeroUno, Il Salvagente). She is the author of journalistic surveys on food, she has published the book "Reading labels to know what we eat".
