A Honolulu study suggests that vitamins C and E taken regularly can protect against vascular dementia and improve brain function in the elderly.
A total of 3,385 Japanese Americans ages 71 to 93 were involved in the study by Pacific Health Research scientists who analyzed use of the antioxidant vitamins.
Dr. Lon White said rates of dementia overall seemed to be lower in people who took a combination of vitamin C and E. With little data available, it appears like the most powerful effect was vitamin E, he said.
The researchers found no connection between use of the vitamins and Alzheimer’s disease, White said.
The study was part of a health research project that began in 1965 at Kuakini Medical Center with 8,000 volunteers.
The dementia study began in 1991 and it supports earlier studies that found antioxidant vitamins can slow progression of memory loss.
