Posted on 06/15/2022 8:54:58 PM PDT by House Atreides
Dementia is one of the major causes of disability and dependency among older people worldwide, affecting thinking and behaviours as you age. But what if you could stop this degenerative disease in its tracks?
A world-first study from the University of South Australia could make this a reality as new genetic research shows a direct link between dementia and a lack of vitamin D.
Investigating the association between vitamin D, neuroimaging features, and the risk of dementia and stroke, the study found:
* low levels of vitamin D were associated with lower brain volumes and an increased risk of dementia and stroke
* genetic analyses supported a causal effect of vitamin D deficiency and dementia.
* in some populations as much as 17 per cent of dementia cases might be prevented by increasing everyone to normal levels of vitamin D (50 nmol/L).
Dementia is a chronic or progressive syndrome that leads to deterioration in cognitive function. About 487,500 Australians live with dementia and it is the country’s second leading cause of death. Globally, more than 55 million people have dementia with 10 million new cases diagnosed every year.
Supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council, the genetic study analysed data from 294,514 participants from the UK Biobank, examining the impact of low levels of vitamin D (25 nmol/L) and the risk of dementia and stroke. Nonlinear Mendelian randomisation (MR) – a method of using measured variation in genes to examine the causal effect of a modifiable exposure on disease - were used to test for underlying causality for neuroimaging outcomes, dementia, and stroke.
Senior investigator and Director of UniSA’s Australian Centre for Precision Health, Professor Elina Hyppönen, says the findings are important for the prevention of dementia and appreciating the need to abolish vitamin D deficiency.
“Vitamin D is a hormone precursor that is increasingly recognised for widespread effects, including on brain health, but until now it has been very difficult to examine what would happen if we were able to prevent vitamin D deficiency,” Prof Hyppönen says.
“Our study is the first to examine the effect of very low levels of vitamin D on the risks of dementia and stroke, using robust genetic analyses among a large population.
“In some contexts, where vitamin D deficiency is relatively common, our findings have important implications for dementia risks. Indeed, in this UK population we observed that up to 17 per cent of dementia cases might have been avoided by boosting vitamin D levels to be within a normal range.”
The findings are incredibly significant given the high prevalence of dementia around the world.
“ Dementia is a progressive and debilitating disease that can devastate individuals and families alike,” Prof Hyppönen says.
“If we’re able to change this reality through ensuring that none of us is severely vitamin D deficient, it would also have further benefits and we could change the health and wellbeing for thousands.”
“Most of us are likely to be ok, but for anyone who for whatever reason may not receive enough vitamin D from the sun, modifications to diet may not be enough, and supplementation may well be needed.”
I don’t no what a WAG or GMTA are, but please be sure to read my Comment #36 on various definitions of OPTIMUM D levels.
WAG - wild-ass guess
GMTA - Great minds think alike
SWAG - scientific wild-ass guess
Not when you figure how many people stay indoors alk the time enjoying the AC and watching the boob tube.
LOL! A new one on me. I’ll remember.
I used to get annual colds with most of them deteriorating to bronchitis that often took 12 weeks to pass. That started when I was in college around age 19 or 20. Since I started the Quercetin, NAC, zinc, Vit C, and Vit D supplementation regimen, I haven't had a single respiratory infection.
By the way, the name of the health care system you cited is Kaiser Permanente. The name "Permanente" came from Permanente Creek which flowed past Henry Kaiser's Kaiser Permanente Cement Plant on Black Mountain in Cupertino, California. Kaiser's first wife, Bess Fosburgh, liked the name. I frequently hike Black Mountain and go by Permanente Creek.
Thanks for all the D3 info. If you ever get ill also try magnesium ascorbate powder by Now Foods as found on Amazon. The big “secret” is to keep your system at high vitamin C all day long. This is done by a quarter teaspoon Mag Ascorbate every two hours. More than this, the C gets flushed out and wasted.
To be precise, 225mg C every two hours will saturate your system. This would be pure C in tablet form that you swallow. Eating C powder will rot your teeth due to its acidity.
I will be doing this for a few weeks to a month this summer
Magnesium ascorbate is buffered, non-acidic, Vitamin C
Ping!
The sun doesn’t provide Vitamin D3.....it facilitates your own body’s production of D3. Even with plenty of sun you should get a blood test at least 1-2 times per year..
An overabundance can cause hypercalcemia - too much calcium that can cause problems. I’d ask my doctor about it - to check the other levels of criticals like sodium, potassium, etc.
“An overabundance can cause hypercalcemia - too much calcium that can cause problems.”
Thanks for the tip. Will check with my PCP next week. I need calcium for osteoporosis. Old age becomes a balancing act, in more ways than one.
Whenever I've been in any country with the direction of travel opposite ours, I've never perceived that mucch of a problem because the driver's seat is also reversed (however, the pedals are the same). It is a little funky shifting gears with the left hand if you have a manual. But with an automatic transmission, the only issue is that the turn signals and wiper controls are reversed. There have been a few occasions where I think I'm signalling a turn but turn on the windshield wipers. But that's it.
I have a jar of a Vitamin C powder, probably Mag Ascorbate, in my Covid emergency travel bag. I always have it with me on my out of town travels along with little plastic baggies of my regular daily vitamins. It also has Quercetin, Resviratrol, Zinc (50 mg.), 5000IU D capsules, and one daily multi viamins/minerals. I have these in case I run into someone with a sick family member. If you are not aware of Dr. Robert Cathcart’s writings on disease treatment with high dose Vitamin C to bowel tolerance, you should look for them at Google.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.