November 2012
According to a new study published in June 2012, low levels of vitamin C and beta-carotene are associated with dementia in elderly individuals. Currently, it is estimated that 5.2 million Americans, or one in eight, age 65 or older have Alzheimer’s disease, the most common type of dementia, and nearly half of all individuals over age 85 have the condition. Alzheimer’s disease is the fifth leading cause of death in U.S. adults age 65 or older.
Researchers assessed antioxidant levels in 74 mildly demented individuals and 158 age- and gender-matched individuals to serve as the control group. The antioxidants measured included vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, lycopene and coenzyme Q10.
The investigators found that vitamin C and beta-carotene levels were significantly lower among the subjects with mild dementia compared to the levels of the healthy control subjects. The association remained significant even after adjusting the data to account for school education, intake of dietary supplements, smoking habits, body mass index and alcohol consumption.
More specifically, the researchers showed that, compared to the subjects with the lowest levels, subjects with the highest vitamin C levels had 71 percent decrease in the risk of developing dementia. The subjects with the highest beta-carotene had 87 percent decrease in the risk of dementia compared to the subjects with the lowest levels. The researchers did not find an association between vitamin E, lycopene and coenzyme Q10 with dementia.
The study concluded that vitamin C and beta-carotene are associated with a decreased risk of dementia.
Reference:
von Arnim CA, et al. J Alzheimers Dis. 2012 Jun 18. [Epub ahead of print.]
http://www.wholehealthinsider.com/newsletter/2012/november/dementia-related-to-vitamin-c-and-beta-carotene-levels/
