Connection found between vitamin D and tau protein
Research involving nearly 800 adults indicates that increased vitamin D blood levels are associated with lower tau protein levels years later, highlighting a potential pathway for dementia prevention.
A recent study may have discovered an effective way to minimize dementia risk, according to the American Academy of Neurology (AAN). The organization reported on the Neurology study in a press release, emphasizing that future studies are still needed.
The pathway is a connection between vitamin D and tau. Middle aged individuals who have higher vitamin D blood levels were found to also have less tau protein in the brain. It is important to note that the findings don’t prove “that vitamin D levels lower the level of tau and the risk of dementia; it only shows an association.”
Nearly 800 dementia-free adults participated in the study. They were given brain scans 16 years after their vitamin D blood levels were measured. The authors concluded, “Higher vitamin D levels were associated with lower levels of the Alzheimer’s biomarker tau protein years later.”
