Vitamin D and dementia

Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency among US adults: prevalence, predictors and clinical implications

(University of Michigan School of Medicine, 2018)

Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) and insufficiency (VDI) are increasing at a global level

Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) measurements were collected from 26,010 adults

(National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, NHANES)

VDD, less than 50 nmol/l (20 ng ml)

VDI, 50 to 75 nmol/l (20 – 25 ng ml)

Prevalence

VDD, 28·9%

VDI, 41·4 %

Adults who were black, less educated, poor, obese, physically inactive and infrequent milk consumers

Obese adults, 3·09 times higher prevalence of VDD

(1·80 times higher prevalence of VDI)

Physically inactive adults, 2·00 times VDD

(1·36 times higher prevalence of VDI)

Vitamin D status in the United States, 2011–2014

Persons with higher vitamin D dietary intake or who used supplements had lower prevalences of at risk of deficiency or inadequacy.

Vitamin D deficiency 2.0: an update on the current status worldwide

Most studies did not meet the basic requirements of a nutrient intervention study

~40% of Europeans are vitamin D deficient,

and 13% are severely deficient

Vitamin D deficiency

(serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D less than 50 nmol/L or 20 ng/ml),

associated with unfavourable skeletal outcomes, including fractures and bone loss

Level of more than 50 nmol/L or 20 ng/ml is, therefore, the primary treatment goal

Severe vitamin D deficiency, below less than 30 nmol/L (or 12 ng/ml),

dramatically increases the risk of excess mortality, infections, and many other diseases,

and should be avoided whenever possible.

Given its rare side effects and its relatively wide safety margin, it may be an important, inexpensive, and safe adjuvant therapy for many diseases,

but future large and well-designed studies should evaluate this further.

Vitamin D supplementation and incident dementia: Effects of sex, APOE, and baseline cognitive status

Vitamin D exposure was associated with 40% lower dementia incidence versus no exposure.

(Prospective, n = 12,388)

Low vitamin D serum levels as risk factor of Alzheimer’s disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Serum vitamin D levels, related to cognitive dysfunctions, e.g. dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease

Past studies vary in results on whether vitamin D levels correlated with the development of AD.

Meta-analysis, up to December 2022

AD, 75% of dementias

Results

6 studies, n = 10,884

Vitamin D receptors throughout the brain

Patients, vitamin D serum levels (less than 25 ng/ml),

had an increased risk of developing AD,

compared to more than 25 ng/ml

HR: 1.59

Severe deficiency (less than 10 ng/ml) having the strongest association,

compared to moderate vitamin D deficiency (10–20 ng/ml).

Vitamin D may promote the clearing of amyloid plaques

Vitamin D also prevents cognitive dysfunction via neuroprotection, neurotrophy, neurotransmission, and neuroplasticity

Potential to prevent neuroinflammation, inhibits proinflammatory cytokines

In the UK during autumn and winter,

everyone is advised to take a supplement containing,

10 micrograms (400 international units) of vitamin D a day

[craigcrawford]

My mother, housebound and never in the sun, died of dementia. Her younger brother still running the family farm at 87 years old. Never been inside a day in his life. Never used sunscreen. Theres a massive correlation between the "sun fear" of the last fifty years, people terrified of the sun, using ridiculous amounts of sunscreen, and then the massive use of statin drugs just sucking the life giving cholesterol out of peoples brains, and that beautiful food pyramid of the last fifty years. The results are exacly as expected.

[lyndaholly]

My 88 yr old husband died in April after surviving a 13 year diagnosed progression of vascular dementia. I kept him at home and cared to all of his needs without assistance, as I wouldn't risk introducing Covid into our environment by any visiting h.c. workers. I believe that his longterm success over the progression of his brain degeneration was a combination of several factors, one of which was my commitment to giving him adequate COD Liver Oil capsules daily, along with exposure to fresh air and sunlight when possible. I am convinced that if he had been institutionalized, he would have perished much younger, because at home "he" was still "himself ", a dearly loved man with symptoms of a disease. The experience of caring for him taught me much about him, his disease, and about myself and my commitment to him. Even with all of the extreme challenges in the last three to four years, the dementia didn't succeed in killing him or in dominating his memories. It was a misdiagnosed gastric bleed that led to his death, and his last words were words of love when he repeatedly asked me, from his hospital bed. "are you OK? are you OK? are you OK?" Our love and my determination to keep him safe and well is the reason why he didn't sooner. His dementia pales in comparison to my own struggle with his loss. I am the one who is "lost".

[patd.]

I was just diagnosed with mantle cell lymphoma. Oncologist hoped that my D3 would be at least 30 prior to chemo. Last test 4 years ago was 25. After watching your videos 3+ years ago I started taking D3 as well as spending more time outside. I just tested at 60!
I can’t thank you enough for your advice!

[veganconservative]

Not saying VitD isn't important. But my dad died of dementia (and cancer, but it was the dementia that did him in) and he was out in the Arizona desert sun most days and for at least an hour. I doubt he was deficient until the last season where he became housebound. I really think it was his anger that aided the disease. He ate well and mostly good food. He exercised regularly, he had a sense of humor, but he held onto a grudge like a bulldog. Anger releases chemicals in the body that are deadly.

[leonardpeters]

My doctor told me to get my vitamin D up at the beginning of Covid. He told me that I would be much more susceptible to hospitalization or worse if I didn't. Good doctor. I took his advice and have been supplementing ever since.

[elizabethcurry]

In my 30s I began dealing with depression and body aches. My doctor tested my Vitamin D, and it was low. It was near 20 ng/ml. I started taking 5000 IU a day. It was remarkable how quickly my pain levels and mood improved. Even taking 5000IU (125 mcg) daily, my blood levels never go over 60 ng/ml. Vitamin D has been a life saver for me.

[ILoveJesus]

This is a warning for ALL people out there. When you go visit your doctor and they get bloods done and they say they are normal, no steps to be taken, ask for a print out. My mam was feeling very tired, low mood, various other symptoms. The doctor said her bloods came back fine. Well my dad asked for a print out and low and behold, yes my mam was in the normal bracket, but right at the bottom end of it. So if for example the normal was 50-80 range, then my mam was either 50 or 51. To me, if you are this low in the normal range and it can be as much as 80, then surely, if that person is presenting with these symptoms, the doctor should still be prescribing something to improve their condition! Doctors do not care these days about their patients, all they want is more pay and less hours. Even their bedside manners have diminished over the years. My mam is now thankfully on a couple of vitamins which has improved her health. Something as easily fixable as that!.

[travelguy]

You said: "Higher levels of Vitamin D lower Dementia risk by 59 percent" WOW!!! That's absolutely stunning, Dr Campbell!!!

[rascode]

This is priceless. You’re doing the Lord’s work with this platform. Thank you 🙏🏽.

[americangal]

USA here. My friends 92 year old healthy, independent mother living alone fell and broke her hip during Covid 19. Surgery went well, but her heart was broken because her daughter couldn’t visit her and the hospital would not allow her daughter to drop off her mothers supplements and vitamins. When she went to a rehab center, they wouldn’t allow it either. Her mother’s morale went down and phone calls weren’t the same. Her mother showed some signs of dementia and a died suddenly. ‘Natural causes. ???’ I think not. She was without her supplements for 12 weeks and without her family visiting her.
So sad for a vibrant woman.

[GaryRockliff]

My dad passed away 2 weeks ago, he had dementia and urostomy bag. He would urinary tract infections a few times....unfortunately in my dads case he's unable to feel the pain of the infection. Unfortunately the infection progressed rapidly into Sepsis and he passed away from septic shock. Sepsis is a major killer of the elderly with dementia because they ate unable to commincate what is wrong. When the angels took him it was a blessing, dementia is terrible terrible disease that affects family care givers immensely. 🙏🌼

[Jan-wdis]

I'm a nurse and our Docs started prescribing Vit D3 to nearly all our patients in the rehab unit. This was at least 15 yrs ago, but it seems not many MDs are doing it generally.

[goddess.]

Vitamin D deficiency is at the heart of so many chronic diseases. From autoimmune conditions to inflammation. Thank you for bringing consistent light to this topic 🙏

[cosimavonliebenau]

Hello Dr Campbell, I’m here again to expand my mind and knowledge. Thank you for all you do.

[kimbowen]

Thank you SO MUCH for your reports. It's extremely hard for anyone to disagree with your reports because they are based on actual studies and facts. Don't let them shut you down.

[wekapeka]

Message received loud and clear over a year ago and has been followed rigorously ever since. I am not the only one and we spread your message whenever appropriate. Thank you Dr John.

[TheGardenAddict]

I have serum D checked on all of my nutrition clients. In functional medicine and naturopathic medicine it's been known for a long time that serum levels below 50ng/mL are insufficient for optimum health. We shoot for 50 to 70 or 80 ng/mL. 5, 000 IU daily usually does the trick. Obese clients sometimes need as much as 50, 000 IU daily for a period of time to get levels high enough. As far as studies go: no money to be made means no studies done. With nutrition and supplements bad advice is given to keep us needing drugs. The pharmaceutical industry will go as far as doing studies to make supplements look dangerous. For example, they'll give rancid fish oil supplements to people and then say fish oil supplements cause prostate cancer. Or they'll give a particular synthetic form of vitamin E and say it causes death. Those studies make it in the mainstream media. In the US, there have been attempts to "regulate" supplements for our "safety." Big pharma either wants control or have them taken off the market. They even attempt having compounds classified as drugs so that a prescription is needed, which they did with NAC. Once it becomes common knowledge the value of vitamin D, my guess is they will work hard to have it classified as a drug. None of this should surprise anyone after what was done during Covid and the fraudulent studies done to "prove" that repurposed drugs aren't effective. Governments and DOD are often involved in studies to make nutrition and supplements look lame. Again, just look at what happened during Covid. It is psychopathic. Been going on long before Covid.

[susanbade]

We have to take care of ourselves and be responsible for our docs give proper care anymore....thank you for being someone who truly cares about us and give us great information consistently!!

[zelbug]

I had a very sickly childhood and extended into adulthood. I even have bowed legs from lack of Vit D as a child. I started taking Vit D about 25 years ago and have only gotten sick 3 or 4 times in the last 25 years. When I caught COVID-19, it was extremely mild, and had colds and flu's that were far worse (when I wasn't on Vit D). Vit D is a miracle vitamin (or hormone). Thank you Dr. Campbell for contiuing to keep reporting on this.

[LDHBees]

I take 5, 000 iu daily - I’m 65 and healthy and active. I appreciate your report - and agree with your observations! Problem is no money to be made off vitamin D sales!