Third RCT finds a significant cognitive benefit from multivitamin use

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TL;DR Summary
a two year study on older people found statistically significant improvement in cognitive skills for multivitamin supplements users versus placebo in a population of 573.
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jim mcnamara said:
[opinion] Answer: because their diets have one or more critical deficiencies[/opinion]
Agreed. I didn't read the paper yet, but do they say anything about that possibility? Did they do blood tests on the participants before/during/after to help figure out what any deficiencies might be?
 
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I think it would be pretty easy to miss out on one or more important ingredients with a diet based mostly on processed foods.
 
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As far as I'm aware the main way in which the daily recommended allowance was arrived at was to identify the dose at which symptoms of a deficiency became obvious, they then doubled this dose to arrive at the RA. Despite this, the medical establishments aversion to anything considered to be alternative has really prevented these being reviewed, even the set blood levels are not really reliable indicators of deficiencies. The way in which we absorb and use vitamins is much more complex than simply relying on the dose and its only since it has become acceptable to study this that we are getting a handle on it all. I think the work on Vitamin D in Covid has had a big effect on this, with the results of some older studies that suggested that few people would benefit from supplementing their intake are being revisited.

It seems fairly obvious that supporting general health, that supplementing the Vitamins that are known to be essential for neural functioning and revisiting the role of oxidative damage in ageing should be useful, while the often described risks are minimal.
 
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There are a number of studies that looked at total lifestyle vs dementia. One of those studies is this large scale study of 29,000 adults over age 60:

The article: https://www.medicaldaily.com/decade...style-choices-slow-down-memory-decline-467856.
The paper: https://www.bmj.com/content/380/bmj-2022-072691.

They looked at the presence or absence of six lifestyle factors: diet, social contact, exercise, cognitive activity, smoking, and drinking alcohol. From the article: "Of the six, a healthy diet had the most effect on slowing memory decline. It was followed by cognitive activity and then physical exercise." The article states that "A healthy diet was considered the one where a person ate the recommended intake of at least seven out of 12 food groups: fruits, vegetables, fish, meat, dairy, salt, oil, eggs, cereals, legumes, nuts, and tea." It's easy to believe that many people do not meet this definition of a healthy diet, and therefore a multivitamin supplement would be of benefit.

My wife sees to it that we have a healthy diet, posting on PF counts as cognitive activity, my morning run was 7.3 miles, never smoked, have social contact, and enjoy an occasional glass of wine. I think I'm good.
Laroxe said:
As far as I'm aware the main way in which the daily recommended allowance was arrived at was to identify the dose at which symptoms of a deficiency became obvious, they then doubled this dose to arrive at the RA.
This sounds right. The official recommended minimum level of Vitamin D is 20 ng/mL: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/V...els of 50 nmol/L,bones and affect your health. Elite endurance athletes believe that their minimum level should be at least 40 in order to get the best performance.
 
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FAQ: Third RCT finds a significant cognitive benefit from multivitamin use

What is the main finding of the third RCT on multivitamin use?

The third randomized controlled trial (RCT) found that there is a significant cognitive benefit from the use of multivitamins. Participants who took multivitamins showed better cognitive performance compared to those who did not.

How long did the study last and what was the sample size?

The study duration and sample size can vary, but typically such RCTs last for several months to a few years and include hundreds to thousands of participants to ensure statistical significance and reliability of the findings.

What cognitive functions were measured in the study?

The study measured various cognitive functions, including memory, executive function, attention, and processing speed. These are common domains assessed to determine overall cognitive health and performance.

Were there any side effects reported from multivitamin use in the study?

Most studies, including this one, generally report that multivitamins are well-tolerated with minimal side effects. However, some participants may experience mild gastrointestinal issues or allergic reactions, which are usually rare.

Can these findings be generalized to the entire population?

While the findings are promising, they may not be fully generalizable to the entire population. Factors such as age, baseline nutritional status, and individual health conditions can influence the effectiveness of multivitamins. Further research is needed to confirm these benefits across different demographics.

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