Dietary Vitamin D Linked to Better Cognitive Function and Mood in Elderly: Study
Research indicates that higher dietary intake of vitamin D is associated with improved cognitive performance and reduced depressive symptoms in older adults. While these findings are promising, further longitudinal studies are necessary to confirm a causal relationship and understand the biological mechanisms involved.
Vitamin D is known to have a potential impact on cognitive function and mental health. This study aims to assess the association between dietary vitamin D intake and cognitive performance, as well as depression, in an elderly U.S. population. Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2013-2014 were analyzed. A total of 1,344 elderly participants were categorized into three tertiles based on their dietary vitamin D intake (D2 + D3). Cognitive function was measured using the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD) test, Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST), and Animal Fluency Test, while depression was assessed through the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Adjustments were made for confounding variables, including age, sex, race, education, physical activity level, and other dietary factors. Results: After adjustment for confounders, individuals in the 3rd tertile of vitamin D intake (≥4.9 mcg/day) had significantly reduced odds of low performance on the CERAD test (OR: 0.77, 95% CI: 0.57-0.98; p = 0.031) and Animal Fluency test (OR: 0.63, 95% CI: 0.49-0.85; p = 0.013) compared to the 1st tertile of intake (≤2.4 mcg/day). Similarly, participants in the 3rd tertile of vitamin D intake had lower odds of depression (PHQ-9 score > 4) after adjustment (OR: 0.68, 95% CI: 0.48-0.99; p = 0.046). The findings suggest that dietary vitamin D intake is associated with improved cognitive function and depressive symptoms in elderly individuals. However, further longitudinal studies are needed to establish causality and explore the underlying mechanisms.
Reference:
Chen H, Pang X, Huang Y. Higher dietary vitamin D intake influences brain and mental function in elderly Americans: a cross-sectional analysis. Front Nutr. 2025 Apr 9;12:1564568. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2025.1564568. PMID: 40271436; PMCID: PMC12016215.
Keywords
Dietary, Vitamin D, Linked, Better, Cognitive, Function, Mood, Elderly, Chen H, Pang X, Huang Y, NHANES; cognitive function; depression; elderly; vitamin D.
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