Why This Matters to Us:
As longevity enthusiasts, we want to help everyone stay mentally sharp as they get older. This study shows that taking multivitamins daily might help older adults keep their memory better and think more clearly as they age. This means we could add years to our lives where we stay active and mentally fit.
What this Study Showed Was:
The study was called COSMOS, and it aimed to see if taking multivitamins every day could help older adults think better. Think of multivitamins as those colourful pills you see in stores that contain many different vitamins and minerals.
Researchers divided participants into two groups: one took daily multivitamins, and the other took a dummy pill (placebo). Participants were all 60 years or older. Over two years, the researchers tested their memory and thinking skills using a series of quizzes and tasks.
They found that those who took multivitamins had a slight improvement in overall thinking skills compared to those who did not. Specifically, their memory of past events (known as episodic memory) improved. However, there wasn’t much change in skills like attention or planning (called executive function).
The researchers also combined the results of this study with two other similar studies involving over 4,000 participants. They found stronger evidence that daily multivitamins help improve both overall thinking skills and memory. This improvement in thinking skills is like turning back the clock on the brain by about two years.
So, in simple terms, taking a daily multivitamin might help keep our brains younger for longer. This is great news for those of us interested in living healthier, longer lives. Just remember, it's always best to talk to a healthcare provider before starting any new supplement!