Skip to main content

Niacin Protective against Dementia in Aging

Niacin Protective against Dementia in Aging


Taking niacin may help protect patients against Alzheimer's Disease and other forms of cognitive decline according to the results of a recent study. A research team followed 3,718 participants in the Chicago Health and Aging Project for six years and tracked their niacin intake and mental status via food frequency questionnaires and testing of cognitive functioning at three-year intervals. The subjects were 65 and older and did not have Alzheimer's Disease when the study began.


Scientists tested a random sample of 815 subjects, 131 of whom had developed Alzheimer's. When the niacin intake of the sample was examined, it was found that subjects who ranked in the top three-fifths of the sample's niacin consumption through supplements and foods had a 70% lower adjusted risk of developing the disease than those in the lowest sample. Even when the vitamin was obtained from food alone, the protective benefit was similar.

Cognitive decline was examined for all of the subjects and niacin was found to slow the process; this association was even stronger when the analysis excluded patients who had cardiovascular disease, low initial cognitive function scores, or less than 12 years of education. Subjects who consumed the most niacin had only 44% of the decline of those with the lowest intake of the vitamin.

J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 75(8):1093-1099, 2004

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Adopting a Vegetarian Diet

Adopting a vegetarian diet has become a popular choice for individuals looking to improve their health, particularly as heart disease and obesity rates continue to rise in many parts of the world. Vegetarians tend to have lower cholesterol levels and consume fewer trans fats than those who consume meat and dairy products. However, to maintain good health, vegetarians must ensure they obtain the right amount of nutrients from their vegan diets. By taking care to plan their diets carefully, vegetarians can enjoy a satisfying and tasty way of life. While there is no established vegan diet, it is widely agreed that with so many vegetarian diets to choose from, the choice is ultimately up to the individual. However, vegetarians must be cautious not to make their diets too restrictive as this can lead to difficulties in meeting the body's daily nutritional requirements. Commonly deficient nutrients among vegetarians include protein, iron, vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium, and zinc. Soy pr...

4 Steps Tо Bеttеr Health

4 Steps Tо Bеttеr Health It's роѕѕіblе tо learn HOW tо bеttеr уоur health іn оnlу 4 steps аnd thіѕ article wіll show уоu how. Eасh step іѕ а bite-sized nugget оf healthy living information уоu саn асtuаllу use. Let's gеt started... Step 1: Nutritional Supplements In mу opinion, thеу аrе vеrу nесеѕѕаrу аnd vеrу beneficial- еѕресіаllу whеn combined wіth healthy eating habits. It's vеrу difficult tо gеt аll thе nutrients уоur body nееdѕ thrоugh food alone, but combining proper nutrition wіth nutritional supplements іѕ vеrу powerful. Thаt bеіng said, thе оnе supplement еvеrуоnе ѕhоuld bе tаkіng іѕ а good multi vitamin/mineral. Lооk аt іt аѕ added insurance- eating wеll іѕ crucial, but nоw thаt you're аlѕо tаkіng а multi, уоu саn rest assured you're gеttіng thе nutrients уоur body needs. Step 2: Nutrition Good nutrition іѕ SO important. Yоu аrе whаt уоu eat...remember that. Mаkе а conscious effort tо gradually improve уоur eating habits, eating mоrе оf th...

THE TRUTH ABOUT MENOPAUSE, WEIGHT GAIN AND "THE POOCH"

By Colleen McCleery, MD, OB/GYN—Exuberan® by Virtua Menopause is a mixed bag of little surprises. While most women look forward to saying goodbye to tampons and pads, far fewer are excited to now experience hot flashes and night sweats. And it’s probably fair to say that weight gain is the least popular and often least expected “side effect” of this hormonal shift. Considering many women struggle with their weight on a good day, it’s not surprising that this is the number one complaint from patients who are going through this transition. The biology of menopause During the late 40s to mid-50s, a hormone called FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) increases and no longer performs its job to regulate the ovaries. During this increase in FSH, other hormones like estrogen, progesterone and testosterone decrease. A decrease in testosterone can lead to weight gain and decreased energy. And, not surprisingly, estrogen loss has far-reaching effects beyond hot flashes. It contribut...