Mental Decline linked to Vitamin D Deficiency

The Journal of Geriatric Psychology and Neurology published a new study that vitamin D deficiency leads to significant mental decline as people age.

The study followed 2,000 people aged 65 and above, comparing their vitamin D levels to their degree of cognitive impairment. Those with the highest vitamin D levels had the least cognitive impairment while those with the lowest vitamin D levels had the greatest cognitive impairment.

Vitamin D is important in maintaining bone health, in the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, and in helping the immune system.
The body makes vitamin D when it is exposed to the sun, or it can be obtained from foods such as oily fish, and those fortified with vitamin D, such as milk, cereals, and soya drinks.
But older people’s skin is less able to absorb vitamin D from sunlight so they are more reliant on obtaining it from other sources.

“It would be interesting if a low level of vitamin D was found to be a risk factor for cognitive problems as it is cheap and easy to remedy”, said Dr Susanne Sorensen, Alzheimer’s Society.

The population of advanced nations is universally vitamin D deficient due to spending most of their time indoors, resulting in a sunlight deficiency.
This study correlating vitamin D with cognitive impairment may explain why the people of these nations have become so mentally impaired over the last few generations.

One or two generations ago, when their parents or grandparents used to work outside on their own farms, sunlight exposure was much higher.
Cancer rates were low and mental function was much higher. But as societies “advanced,” their workers moved indoors, into offices with fluorescent lights.
Vitamin D deficiency skyrocketed while IQs plummeted.