"Vitamin D Deficiency Is Associated With Low Mood and Worse Cognitive Performance in Older Adults,"
Wilkins CH, Sheline YI, et al, Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2006; 14(12): 1032-1040. (Address: Department of Medicine, Division of Geriatrics and Nutritional Science, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA)
Summary: In a cross-sectional study involving 40 older subjects with mild Alzheimer's disease and 40 nondemented older subjects, vitamin D deficiency was found to be associated with low mood and worse cognitive performance. 58% of the subjects had abnormally low vitamin D levels (less than 20 ng/mL). After adjusting for age, race, gender, and season, vitamin D deficiency was associated with the presence of active mood disorder. Additionally, vitamin D deficiency was associated with worse cognitive function (measured using the Short Blessed Test), and greater dementia severity (using the Clinical Dementia Rating). Thus, the authors of this study conclude, "In a cross-section of older adults, vitamin D deficiency was associated with low mood and with impairment on two of four measures of cognitive performance."
Lynn says: Vitamin D is certainly in the news recently -cancer, bone loss, now Alzheimer's among other conditions it is related to.
I have written before about the reverence I have for the instinctive knowledge some women had about protecting their families' health before the dawning of the age of nutritional science, and the Grandmotherly spoonful of Cod Liver Oil ranks high on that list.
Remember, though, all Vitamin D is not created equal! Look for D from fish oil, or for Vitamin D3 or cholecalciferol.
You can get the best Cod Liver Oil here
