Vitamin D supplementation no benefit on cognitive and emotional functioning

January 01, 0001

Vitamin D supplementation no benefit on cognitive and emotional functioning

Epidemiological research links vitamin D status to various brain-related outcomes. However, few trials examine whether supplementation can improve such outcomes and none have examined effects on cognition. This study by researchers from Australia examined whether Vitamin D supplementation led to improvements in diverse measures of cognitive and emotional functioning, and hypothesised that supplementation would lead to improvements in these outcomes compared to placebo. Healthy young adults were recruited to a parallel-arm, double-blind trial conducted at The University of Queensland. Participants were randomly allocated to receive Vitamin D (one capsule daily, containing 5000 IU cholecalciferol) or identical placebo capsule for six weeks. All participants and outcome assessors were blinded to group assignment. 128 participants were recruited, randomised and included in primary analyses (vitamin D n = 63; placebo n = 65).

Despite significant increases in vitamin D status in the active group, no significant changes were observed in working memory, response inhibition, cognitive flexibility or secondary outcomes. No serious adverse effects were reported.

The researchers concluded: "Our findings indicate that vitamin D supplementation does not influence cognitive or emotional functioning in healthy young adults. Future controlled trials in targeted populations of interest are required to determine whether supplementation can improve functioning in these domains."

It would be interesting to see the outcome in older age-groups and in people with Vit D deficiencies.

For the full abstract, click here.

PLoS ONE 6(11):e25966, 4 November 2011 © 2011 Dean et al
Effects of Vitamin D Supplementation on Cognitive and Emotional Functioning in Young Adults - A Randomised Controlled Trial. Angela J. Dean, Mark A. Bellgrove, Teresa Hall et al. Correspondence to Angela Dean: a.dean@uq.edu.au

Category: P. Psychological, T. Endocrine/Metabolic/Nutritional. Keywords: Vitamin D, supplementation, conitive, emotional functioning, young adults, randomised controlled trial, journal watch.
Synopsis edited by Dr Stephen Wilkinson, Melbourne, Australia. Posted on Global Family Doctor 2 December 2011

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