The number of older people is constantly increasing, and more and more people suffer from Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia. Apparently, seniors who take a daily multivitamin can improve their memory and slow down their cognitive decline, according to a meta-analysis that is published in Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Older people generally have increased need for certain vitamins and minerals because of poor nutrient absorption in the digestive system, impaired enzyme functions, oxidative stress, and regular use of medical drugs that can interact with the nutrients. But how do different vitamins and minerals affect brain health?

The quality of the diet plays a particularly great role in the first years of a child’s life. The different nutrients help prevent obesity, diabetes, and other chronic diseases later in life. However, modern diet and lifestyle have resulted in widespread deficiency of vitamin D, iodine, iron, calcium, and magnesium among children, and that has had serious consequences for their physical and mental health, according to a large German study published in Frontiers in Nutrition. The scientists therefore recommend increased focus on the nutritional status of children and supplementation throughout childhood, if necessary.

AMD is a common eye disorder that involves symptoms such as blurred central vision and eventual blindness. There are two types of AMD – a wet and a dry form. Neither is curable. However, in a new analysis of data, researchers from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the US have found new evidence showing that high-dosed daily supplementation with antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin combined with different vitamins and minerals can delay the development of the eye disease and late stages of the dry form of AMD. This could potentially help people with dry AMD maintain part of their central vision. The mentioned antioxidants that are found in eggs and various vegetables may also prevent AMD, altogether.