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Cognitive Benefits Seen for Daily Multivitamin-Mineral Supplementation

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Jan 22, 2024.

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Jan. 22, 2024 -- Daily multivitamin-mineral (MVM) supplementation yields cognitive benefits, according to a study published online Jan. 18 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Chirag M. Vyas, M.B.B.S., M.P.H., from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, and colleagues examined the effects of MVM supplementation on cognitive change using in-person, detailed neuropsychological assessments and conducted a meta-analysis to assess the MVM effects on cognition within the COcoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study (COSMOS) substudies. A total of 573 participants were included in the clinic subcohort of COSMOS (COSMOS-Clinic) who completed all cognitive tests administered at baseline. Nonoverlapping participants across three COSMOS substudies were included in the meta-analysis (COSMOS-Clinic [573 participants], COSMOS-Mind [2,158 participants], and COSMOS-Web [2,472 participants]).

The researchers found that over two years, there was a modest benefit for MVM versus placebo on global cognition in COSMOS-Clinic, with a significantly more favorable change in episodic memory but not in executive function/attention. Clear evidence of the benefits of MVM on global cognition and episodic memory were seen in the meta-analysis of COSMOS substudies. The magnitude of the effect on global cognition was equivalent to a two-year reduction in cognitive aging.

"These findings will garner attention among many older adults who are, understandably, very interested in ways to preserve brain health, as they provide evidence for the role of a daily multivitamin in supporting better cognitive aging," senior author Olivia Okereke, M.D., also from Massachusetts General Hospital, said in a statement.

The study was partially funded by Mars Edge, Contract Pharmacal Corp., and Pfizer Consumer Healthcare.

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Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

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Posted January 2024

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