Multivamins Boosts Brain Function in Older Women, New Research Finds

Sharon Moore November 09, 2012

A DAILY DOSE of multivitamins can positively influence brain function in older women, a study by the Swinburne University suggests.

The researchers, headed by Dr Helen Macpherson, Centre for Human Psycho-pharmacology researcher at the University, found that just 16 weeks of multivitamin intake resulted to significant improvements in the participants’ cognitive function, particularly in their working memory.

Multivitamin lifts brain function

56 women between the ages 64-79 with subjective memory problems were invited to take part in the study. They were randomly assigned into two groups – one group took multivitamins every day for 16 weeks while the other group took a placebo supplement.

After the trial period, all of the participants underwent a spatial delayed response task (DRT) to measure improvements in their cognition. In clinical trials, the DRT test is used to extensively assess a person’s spatial working memory, or how well he or she retains information that is manipulated (usually by the researchers).

The results showed that those who took multivitamins experienced an increase in their neural efficiency during memory retrieval. In a similar study, it was reported that multivitamin supplementation also helps improve behavioural performance.

While past research has established an association between multivitamin supplementation and brain function, the Swinburne’s study was the first to directly measure brain activity in people taking multivitamins, Dr Macpherson pointed out. The researchers used a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial as their research method and their findings were published in the journal Physiology and Behaviour.

Dr Macpherson believes that their findings add to the increasing evidence that support the role of multivitamin supplementation in combating mental decline in the elderly.

Why take multivitamins?

Even adults and children are encouraged by doctors to take multivitamins. Sometimes, it can be difficult to extract all the nutrients you need from your food, and this is where multivitamin comes in. If you regularly observe a balanced diet that includes a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, meat and fish, you may not need to take such supplements. But even if you eat a balanced diet, if you suffer from a health problem that prevents your body from absorbing a sufficient amount of vitamins and minerals, you could benefit from taking one.

Would you recommend others taking multivitamins? Do you feel the benefits of taking them?

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Multivitamin lifts brain activity