Last month we had the JAMA article that created headlines such as “Antioxidant supplements increase mortality”. Now this month we have a study that concludes that antioxidant intake helps attenuate cognitive decline. So what is the truth???? I’m giving a talk on June 26th at the Newton Community Ed on Supplements. There I will be shedding some light on this subject.
Vitasearch summary of this study:
In a prospective study involving 3,831 subjects 65 years and older, intake of vitamin C alone and in combination with vitamin E was found to be associated with better cognitive function. At baseline, subjects’ diet was assessed via food frequency questionnaires and cognitive function was assessed via a modified Mini-Mental State examination (3MS). Subjects were followed for 7 years during which they underwent 3 interviews in which cognitive function was assessed again. Analysis based on multivariable-mixed models found that increasing quartiles of vitamin C intake alone and in combination with vitamin E was associated with higher 3MS scores. The association was found to be greater for vitamin C intake from food sources, as compared to supplements. Subjects with the lowest levels of vitamin C, vitamin E, and carotene intakes had the greatest rate of decline in cognitive function over time compared to those with higher levels of intake. The authors conclude, “High antioxidant intake from food and supplement sources of vitamin C, vitamin E, and carotene may delay cognitive decline in the elderly.”
George Mandler
Licensed Acupuncturist & Nutritionist Dietitian
Acupuncture, Chinese Medicine, & Nutrition
Boston, Jamaica Plain, Brookline, Massachusetts
