A global genetic study from the University of South Australia has suggested a significant link between vitamin D deficiency and the onset of dementia.
Investigating the association between vitamin D, neuroimaging characteristics, and the risk of dementia and stroke, the study found that low levels of vitamin D were associated with lower brain volumes and an increased risk of dementia and stroke.
Dementia is a chronic or progressive syndrome that causes impaired cognitive function. Some 487,500 Australians live with dementia and it is the second leading cause of death in the country. Globally, more than 55 million people have dementia with 10 million new cases diagnosed each year.
With the support of the National Health and Medical Research Council, the genetic study analyzed data from 294,514 participants at the UK Biobank, examining the impact of low vitamin D levels (25 nmol / L) and the risk of dementia. stroke.
Mendelian nonlinear randomization (MR), a method of using measured variation in genes to examine the causal effect of modifiable exposure to disease, was used to test the underlying causality of neuroimaging results. dementia and stroke.
Professor Elina Hyppönen, a senior researcher and director of UniSA’s Australian Precision Health Center, says the findings are important for preventing dementia and appreciating the need to address vitamin D deficiency.
“Vitamin D is a precursor to the hormone that is increasingly recognized for its widespread effects, including on brain health, but so far it has been very difficult to examine what would happen if we could prevent vitamin D deficiency,” says the Professor Hyppönen.
“Our study is the first to examine the effect of very low vitamin D levels on the risks of dementia and stroke, using strong genetic analysis among a large population.
“In some contexts, where vitamin D deficiency is relatively common, our findings have important implications for the risk of dementia. In fact, in this population of the UK we observed that up to 17% of dementia cases could be to avoid increasing vitamin D levels to stay within a normal range. “
UniSA says the findings are significant given the high prevalence of dementia worldwide.
“Dementia is a progressive and debilitating disease that can devastate people and families alike,” says Professor Hyppönen.
“If we manage to change this reality by ensuring that none of us have a severe vitamin D deficiency, it would also have more benefits and we could change the health and well – being of thousands of people.
“Most of us are probably fine, but for anyone who, for whatever reason, doesn’t get enough vitamin D from the sun, dietary changes may not be enough and supplementation may be necessary.”