Save Your Brain with the Sunshine Vitamin
By Elizabeth Barker
One more reason to load up on vitamin D: Recent research shows that a high intake of the sunshine vitamin D may curb your risk of Alzheimer’s disease as you get older. Published in the Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, a study of nearly 500 older women found that Alzheimer’s-free participants tended to take in a greater amount of vitamin D each week (compared to study members with Alzheimer’s). And in another study appearing in the same journal, researchers found that women with low vitamin D levels may face an increased risk of cognitive impairment as they age.
While it’s unknown how vitamin D might fight cognitive decline, preliminary studies show that the nutrient could help stop the buildup of amyloid beta (a key component of the brain plaques associated with Alzheimer’s). Since it’s difficult to get all the vitamin D you need from sun exposure and food sources (such as fortified foods and oily fish like salmon and sardines), consider taking a supplement to achieve and maintain optimal levels of vitamin D.
Photo courtesy Cristiano Betta
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