THIS ARTICLE WAS WRITTEN by Chirag Vyas, JoAnn Manson, and 10 more authors from Harvard Medical School, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, and Columbia University.1
“In-person, detailed neuropsychological assessments, with the potential to measure subtle changes across multiple cognitive domains, have not been previously conducted to confirm the effects of MVM [multivitamin-mineral] supplementation on cognitive function among older adults.”
The authors assessed the effect of MVM supplementation on global cognition and episodic memory; 492 subjects completed all neuropsychological assessments at baseline and 2 y+ follow-up: 272 participants randomly assigned to MVM, and 301 were randomly assigned to placebo.
The study also included a meta-analysis assessed MVM use as related to cognition in >5000 subjects.
• “By 2060, nearly [one in four] Americans will be aged >65 y — an age group at elevated risk of cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD).”
• “Studies have shown that even modest deficits in cognitive function during aging can predict worsened cognitive decline and an increased risk of ADRD in late life; these early signs of cognitive decline may be delayed through a safe, efficacious, and broadly applicable intervention, such as a multivitamin-mineral (MVM) supplement.”
• “A typical broad-based MVM supplement contains most or all essential vitamins and minerals at lower levels than individual supplements to target multiple biologic pathways to support cognitive health.”
• “The effect of a 2-y MVM supplementation was equivalent to 4.8 y less aging in episodic memory than placebo.”
• This meta-analysis “showed clear evidence of MVM benefits on global cognition and episodic memory.”
• “Daily MVM significantly benefits both global cognition and episodic memory.”
• “[This study supports] the benefits of a daily MVM in preventing cognitive decline among older adults.”
• “In clinical settings, MVM supplements merit greater consideration as a recommended treatment strategy to prevent cognitive decline among older adults without dementia at baseline.”
• “Long-term MVM use is safe without notable adverse effects.”
• “There is biologic plausibility for the findings, as combinations of vitamins and minerals interact with multiple biologic pathways that support cognitive health, and nutritional and micronutrient deficiencies in older adults may elevate risk of cognitive decline.”
• The meta-analysis of >5000 “provided clear evidence that daily MVM use showed benefits for both global cognition and memory among older adults; the magnitude of effect on global cognition appears equivalent to reducing cognitive aging by 2.”
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1. Vyas CM, Manson IE, Sesso HD, Cook NR, Rist PM, Weinberg A, Moorthy MV, Baker LD, Espeland MA, Yeung EK, Brickman AM, Okereke 01. Effect of multivitamin-mineral supplementation versus placebo on cognitive function: results from the clinic subcohort of the COcoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study (COSMOS) randomized clinical trial and meta-analysis of 3 cognitive studies within COSMOS. Am J Clin Nu.tr. 2024 Mar; 119(3):692-701. doi: 10.1016/j. ajcnut.2023.12.011. Epub 2024 Jan 18. PMID: 38244989; PMCID: PMC 11103094.
