Low Vitamin C Levels Linked to Poorer Brain Health in Older Adults - AOL

Low vitamin C levels may be linked to poorer brain health in older adults, a finding reported in PLOS ONE. In a study of about 2,000 Japanese adults aged 65 and older, researchers measured blood vitamin C, used MRI to assess default mode network connectivity and evaluated gray matter and total brain volume. Participants with lower vitamin C tended to show reduced DMN connectivity and less gray matter, changes associated with cognitive decline and aging. Even after accounting for age, education, lifestyle, diabetes and hypertension, the association persisted, though researchers caution that the study shows correlation, not causation. More research is needed to determine whether increasing vitamin C intake could protect cognition or simply reflect overall health.