Vitamin supplements for dementia? The expert explains

Advertising promises of nutritional supplements range from stronger immune defenses to better mental fitness. But the study situation is contradictory.

In general, iron, zinc, and multivitamins should only be taken as supplements if a doctor has diagnosed a deficiency. Anyone who consumes nutritional supplements alone risks serious consequences – which can include heart problems and organ failure.

Additionally, most reputable studies of nutritional supplements (NEM) show that they are unnecessary for healthy people without proven nutrient deficiencies. This also warns against overdose Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR). “The rule of thumb is that a balanced and varied diet provides a healthy body with adequate nutrients. If you are also taking a high dose of NEM and perhaps eating fortified foods, the risk of oversupply of the relevant micronutrients increases.” This was reported on the BfR website. Such an oversupply should be avoided – because in the case of calcium, for example, it can be life-threatening.

Can combination preparations protect against mental decline?

But there are also studies that classify special nutritional supplements as beneficial. For example, one American publication wanted to show that multivitamin preparations can protect against dementia. “A meta-analysis within the cognitive substudies of COSMOS shows that daily use of multivitamin and mineral supplements significantly improves both global cognition and episodic memory. These results from the COSMOS study support the benefit of daily vitamin and mineral intake in preventing cognitive decline in older adults,” he wrote. The authors are led by Chirag Vyas of Harvard Medical School in Boston. In their studieswhich appears in the Journal of Commerce American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Has been published.

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But the analysis raises doubts among experts. Previous studies have not been able to prove any dementia preventive effect through nutritional supplements. “There was no evidence that such preparations were effective,” says Dorothy Volkert of the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg. German Editorial Network (RND) Quoted. “There have been a lot of studies of nutritional supplements containing a wide range of nutrients and nutrient groups,” says the professor of clinical nutrition in aging. “And all the results have been disappointing. It's hard to say why an effect was found here of all places.”

Independent studies on the effect of multivitamin preparations should follow

But study author Vyas is convinced by his study: “A meta-analysis of three separate studies provides strong and consistent evidence that a daily multivitamin, consisting of more than 20 essential micronutrients, helps impede memory loss and slow cognitive decline.” RND quotes him. Important to mention: The study was funded by a vitamin manufacturer. To support the findings, more independent studies should be conducted.