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Vitamin D is far more than just a vitamin—it's a potent steroid hormone regulating nearly 5% of our genome. Yet, remarkably, up to 70% of Americans aren't getting enough, placing them at increased risk for dementia and Alzheimer's disease. In this episode, I explore compelling new evidence from a study involving over 12,000 participants, demonstrating that vitamin D supplementation can reduce dementia risk by an impressive 40%, protecting even adults with genetic Alzheimer's risk (ApoE4 carriers).
Timestamps:
- (00:00) Can vitamin D supplements reduce dementia risk?
- (00:46) How common is vitamin D deficiency?
- (03:31) What studies reveal about genes, vitamin D, and dementia
- (05:44) Does deficiency accelerate brain aging?
- (06:45) Can vitamin D supplementation enhance cognitive function?
- (08:15) Dementia risk reduction insights from 12,388 adults
- (09:58) Why women may benefit most
- (10:49) Normal vs. impaired cognition—who benefits more from vitamin D?
- (11:21) Do ApoE4 carriers get dementia protection from vitamin D?
- (13:00) How mild cognitive impairment affects dementia risk
- (13:41) Does the form of vitamin D matter?
- (14:11) What are the optimal vitamin D blood levels?
- (15:07) What dose corrects deficiency?
- (15:33) How vitamin D directly supports brain function
Show notes are available by clicking here
The study discussed: Vitamin D supplementation and incident dementia: Effects of sex, APOE, and baseline cognitive status