Vitamin D Found to Help Raise Brain Power
Higher levels of vitamin D, synthesized in the skin after being exposed to the sun and located in oily fish, are linked with increased brain power among middle-aged men, according to a British study. The connection between increased vitamin D and rapid information processing “was more major in men aged over 60 years old, although the biological reasons for this remain unclear,” read the report, to appear in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry this week.
The study, conducted by researchers from the University of Manchester, in alliance with other European specialists, compared the cognitive performance above 3,000 men amongst the ages of 40 and 79 years.
Men with higher levels of vitamin D performed continually better in a simple and sensitive neuropsychological test that analyses an individual’s attention and speed of information processing, the study brought to light.
Researchers observed a significant, independent association between a slower information processing speed and lower levels of vitamin D, stated lead author David Lee at Manchester’s School of Translational Medicine.
The study is based on a large population sample and took into consideration other possible factors, for example, depression, season and levels of physical activity.
The main source of vitamin D is ten to 15 minutes daily exposure to sunlight. Oily fish are also an brilliant source of vitamin D.
A separate 2008 study by researchers in Amsterdam showed that a lack of vitamin D could increase the risk of depression or other psychiatric problems among elders.
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