Multivitamins, but Not Cocoa, Tied to Slowed Brain Aging

Well I’ve been taking a multivitamin for ages and drinking hot chocolate for about as long, so I’d be OK either way . . .
Oops, or maybe not. The medications ending in zole -omeprazole. lansoprazole etc are suspected of causing brain problems.
Perhaps taking a multivitamin with any of those will balance the effects.

Take your multivitamins by all means, but don’t forget your dark choc, wine and coffee (in moderation!) you never know!

I started taking Turmeric as there was a study (not sure how valid) that Asians who use a lot in their cooking don't have as many cases of dementia, then they decided it was great for joints as well so I've been taking that for years, fingers crossed

Mollygo The medication you mention - ome and lansoprazole - were in a study linking them to dementia. The study was quite small and therefore difficult to judge if this is totally accurate or not. They give me migraines so I can't take them. My mother took them for many years. She died from dementia. There is no family history of the condition but, again, there is no evidence proving that, taking omeprazole long term, caused it .

well I have taken Omeprazole for some years now.. one in the a.m. and one p.m. if I miss just one, I know it with my tum!

so what else could I do..
I am 85, and yes, not as bright as I used to be, but then, many ladies I know and mix with 20 odd years or so younger than me are not as healthy etc as I am.. it is only this last 2 years with lockups that has affected me... before that, being in my early 80`s I felt and looked 20 years younger.

we are all different

I will read the link later, but a 60% slowing of cognitive ability. That's a high percentage.
I listened to a very compelling radio program saying (yet again) that all the research showed there wasnt any evidence they did any long term good
Then went to the cupboard and got out my zinc vit D and turmeric to take!

I think omeprazole prevents your body from absorbing some things including vitamins and minerals. They were never meant to be taken long term.

Go it. Mis read ability for aging. I promise I am taking my vitamins

Just a note of caution www.vox.com/2016/4/5/11358268/webmd-accuracy-trustworthy

The only high-quality study I could find that related to the question of WebMD's independence was published in JAMA in 2013. The researchers looked at which medical communication companies targeting doctors received the most money from 14 pharmaceutical and device companies. They found WebMD, along with its sister site Medscape, were the top recipients of industry dollars:

The table shows where the financing for WebMD and Medscape originates. The article also questions the validity of some of the trials carry out. Eli Lilly, a pharmaceutical company is a contributor.

I’m seriously concerned about the push for us to take multivitamin supplements. Unless they are recommended by your GP because of diet problems, I happen to think they are unnecessary and costly.

Still, that’s just my opinion.

ayse

Just a note of caution www.vox.com/2016/4/5/11358268/webmd-accuracy-trustworthy

The only high-quality study I could find that related to the question of WebMD's independence was published in JAMA in 2013. The researchers looked at which medical communication companies targeting doctors received the most money from 14 pharmaceutical and device companies. They found WebMD, along with its sister site Medscape, were the top recipients of industry dollars:

The table shows where the financing for WebMD and Medscape originates. The article also questions the validity of some of the trials carry out. Eli Lilly, a pharmaceutical company is a contributor.

I’m seriously concerned about the push for us to take multivitamin supplements. Unless they are recommended by your GP because of diet problems, I happen to think they are unnecessary and costly.

Still, that’s just my opinion.

yes you have a point.....there is no consideration of the kind of people who take a mutivitamin....are they more concerned about their health for instance? How is their diet otherwise? is this seen across all social groups?....I haver just read the actual studdy and it does seem to be solidly constructed but I would have liked to have seen it as a double blind.

the ahttps://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/record/NCT03035201ctual research

Well, as I haven't taken multivitamins since I was sixteen, and I am seventy now, I should be all right.

Admittedly, I am slowing down, when compared with my sixteen year old self, but I have not yet noticed any diminuition in my cognative faculties.

I wonder if this is just the luck of the game rather than something tied to what we ate or did?

Just for information I am not in any way suggesting everyone start taking multivitamins. I don’t take them, I am on several prescription meds and only take what I am advised to take by my doctors, based on blood results. However, I felt it was interesting and worthy of further investigation.

I’ve never take one. I’m 75, very fit. Only in the past 5 years have I had to have B12 injections and 25mg per day of thyroxine.
I often think it’s the luck of the drawer as in much of life.

I like MerylStreeps' luck of the drawer. That is after all where all these things are kept...

At the moment I'm on quite a lot of meds, one of which is a particular (and quite expensive) type of vitamin B. It's made my nails so much stronger, they had been very weak since the menopause. I had been think about multi vitamins when the course is finished, perhaps I'll just stick to vitamin B!

Namsnanny

I will read the link later, but a 60% slowing of cognitive ability. That's a high percentage.
I listened to a very compelling radio program saying (yet again) that all the research showed there wasnt any evidence they did any long term good
Then went to the cupboard and got out my zinc vit D and turmeric to take!

It claims to show a 60% decline in cognitive aging, not 60% cognitive decline. That means the effects of aging on cognitive ability are reduced by 60%.

Personally I believe in taking supplements though I take separate individual vitamins based on what I have read are beneficial for specific things, rather than a multivitamin which may contain things I have plenty of in my diet.
I'm considering adding turmeric. I've started eating more curries for that reason as it is supposed to help with joints. I take Aloe Vera drinking gel daily which has made huge differences to me. I had problems with knee pain which have mostly disappeared, and being more mobile as a result, has assisted me to lose a lot of weight - over 4 stones so far! Increasing exercise has resulted and I feel better than I have in years.

I take vitamin D and zinc regularly as well as antioxidants and supplements for hair and nails. Since the covid pandemic many doctors recommend taking vitamin D to boost the immune system so I definitely recommend that. Our local authority even painted reminders to take vitamin D in the locality. There's one on the pavement in my road!

The DH and I take multivitamins every day. A nurse friend looked at the ingredients and told us they didn't contain a high enough dose of vitamin D for the winter so we take two each now.

Lilyflower

The DH and I take multivitamins every day. A nurse friend looked at the ingredients and told us they didn't contain a high enough dose of vitamin D for the winter so we take two each now.

Not a good idea to double the dose of a multivitamin unless it is within the recommended dose. Better to add a separate vitamin D tablet.

jocork

Lilyflower

The DH and I take multivitamins every day. A nurse friend looked at the ingredients and told us they didn't contain a high enough dose of vitamin D for the winter so we take two each now.

Not a good idea to double the dose of a multivitamin unless it is within the recommended dose. Better to add a separate vitamin D tablet.

I agree. Either BBC or Channel 4 did an exposé of the vitamin market in the USA. Some poor guy ended up seriously damaging his liver from taking too many.

One DD (the anti-Vax one) was really sucked into the vitamin game in Australia 15 or so years ago. Now there is an un-prescribed potion for everything. So yes, I’m biased but most medical science in the UK suggests vitamin taking is unnecessary as a good and varied diet should cover most needs. The only exception is vit D because we have less sunshine and most people do not spend enough time outside.

My GP told me that many of her patients' blood tests show a Vit D deficiency, which she blames on our climate and some peoples' sedentary habits. I take it now, and a multi vitamin because I know that my dietary choices are not always ideal.
Before my hip replacement I was recommended to take turmeric and Glucosamine for my joints, which I have continued with. I also take a cod liver oil capsule, on the premise that it can't do harm, and may do good.
My general health is very good, and I'm not on any prescribed medication. I'm 82, and apart from the odd 'Senior moment' I'm not showing any signs of dementia. Fingers crossed, I hope to continue thus. I don't know if the supplements are doing me any good, but I don't mind spending a little cash in the hope that they are helping to keep me fit, and in good health

Not a good idea to double the dose of a multivitamin unless it is within the recommended dose. Better to add a separate vitamin D tablet.

I agree. I take vitamin D. Like MerylStreep I think a lot is down to luck. A balanced diet should give the other vitamins etc.

Turmeric with black pepper is something I've been taking for a while now and it has coincided with less trouble and pain from osteoarthritis - may be a coincidence! But I believe it is really helping. I add a little (very little) ginger, which is also meant to help, and do add cocoa (no sugar) and make a hot drink - so nice and great to think/believe that its doing me good.

And I take Vitamin D every day plus calcium and vitamin K, which I am told helps the body to access the vitamin d.

Is it the taking of the vitamins or is it the improving of the diet that would otherwise be lacking and we could correct the deficiency in ways other than tablets?