As the aging population continues to grow, the search for effective strategies to improve memory and slow cognitive decline becomes increasingly important. Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital conducted the COcoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study (COSMOS) to investigate the impact of nutritional interventions on cognitive function. A recent study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition presents the findings from the COSMOS-Web trial, revealing that daily multivitamin supplementation improves memory among older adults. This study builds upon the previously published COSMOS-Mind trial, reinforcing the positive effects of multivitamins on memory function.
Multivitamins Show Promise in Cognitive Health Improvement:
The study, conducted by researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Columbia University, involved over 3,500 participants aged 60 and older. The participants completed annual online tests to evaluate memory and cognition over a span of three years. Compared to the placebo group, participants who received multivitamin supplements performed significantly better on memory tests, with sustained benefits observed throughout the three-year follow-up period. The researchers estimated that the multivitamin intervention improved memory performance by the equivalent of 3.1 years compared to the placebo group. Both COSMOS trials indicated that individuals with a history of cardiovascular disease may benefit the most from multivitamin supplementation.
Innovative Approach to Cognitive Assessment:
The use of web-based assessments allowed researchers to examine the effects of multivitamins on cognition in a large study population. The findings from the COSMOS-Web trial provide promising evidence for the cognitive benefits of multivitamin supplementation. Further studies are necessary to identify the specific nutrients responsible for these benefits and understand the underlying mechanisms involved. Additional research is needed to determine whether these findings are applicable to a more diverse population with varying educational and socioeconomic backgrounds.
The findings that a daily multivitamin improved memory and slowed cognitive decline in two separate studies in the COSMOS randomized trial is remarkable, suggesting that multivitamin supplementation holds promise as a safe, accessible and affordable approach to protecting cognitive health in older adults,” said co-author JoAnn Manson, MD, chief of the Brigham’s Division of Preventive Medicine. Manson is a co-leader of the parent COSMOS trial with Howard Sesso, ScD, associate director of the Brigham’s Division of Preventive Medicine.
Reinforcing Prior Findings from COSMOS-Mind:
This trial, conducted by Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Wake Forest School of Medicine, included 2,200 older adults over a period of three years. The randomized assignment to a daily multivitamin supplement in the COSMOS-Mind trial was associated with a 60% reduction in global cognitive aging compared to the placebo group. The results suggested that multivitamin supplementation led to a significant slowing of cognitive decline, equivalent to a reduction of 1.8 years. The study was funded by the National Institute on Aging and published in Alzheimer’s and Dementia in September 2022.
Read More: Paralyzed Individual Achieves Natural Walking Ability Through Implant Technology
Conclusion:
The COSMOS-Web trial, conducted in collaboration between Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Columbia University, provides further evidence supporting the cognitive benefits of daily multivitamin supplementation for older adults. The study’s findings suggest that multivitamins offer a simple, accessible, and affordable approach to protecting cognitive health. While additional research is required to uncover the specific nutrients responsible for these benefits and ensure generalizability to diverse populations, this study marks an important step toward understanding the potential of multivitamin interventions in combating memory loss and cognitive decline in older adults.
