'Sunshine vitamin' and exercise can help ward off Alzheimer's

The studies, released Sunday at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Honolulu, focused on different ways to help reduce the risk and progression of dementia, the degenerative condition which is characterized by a progressive deterioration in cognitive function and the ability to process thought intelligently.

First study
One of the studies is from the Framingham, Mass., cardiovascular risk study, in which researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, among others, tracked the participants for cardiovascular health and are now also tracking their cognitive health.

Researchers in this study have focused on more than 1,200 people in their 70s.

The third study found a link between vitamin D deficiency and increased risk of cognitive impairment and memory robbing condition dementia later in life.

Over two decades of follow-up, 242 of the participants developed dementia, including 193 cases of Alzheimer's.

Outcome of the study
What the research team found by watching exercise levels was that those who did involve in moderate to heavy amounts of exercise reduced their risk for Alzheimer’s and dementia by 40 percent.

Those who got very little exercise were nearly 50 perecnt more likely to develop any type of dementia than those who were in the heavy exercise group. These trends were strongest in men.

"This is the first study to follow a large group of individuals for this long a period of time. It suggests that lowering the risk for dementia may be one additional benefit of maintaining at least moderate physical activity, even into the eighth decade of life," Businessweek.com quoted study author Dr. Zaldy Tan, of Brigham and Women's Hospital, VA Boston and Harvard Medical School, as saying in an Alzheimer's Association news release.

Second study
In the second study researchers from the University of California suggested that a daily cup of tea could help protect against the disease, according to USA Today.

The researchers in this study followed 4,800 participants of the age 65 or over for 14 years and found that both drinks reduced memory loss significantly.

The research team found that those who drank tea one to four times per decreased the risk by 37 percent per year.

Coffee didn't show any influence except at the highest levels of consumption, the study shows. Those who consumed coffee at least five times a week reduced their memory loss by up to 20 percent compared to those who didn’t drink it at all.

"Interestingly, the observed associations are unlikely to be related to caffeine, which is present in coffee at levels two to three times higher than in tea," Today quoted author Lenore Arab of UCLA as saying.

Basking in the warm sun can also help
The third study found a link between vitamin D deficiency and increased risk of cognitive impairment and memory robbing condition dementia later in life.

To look at the effect of “sunshine vitamin” on brain health, researchers in the United Kingdom analyzed data from 3,325 people who were 65 and older and who took part in the third U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

When the researchers measured the performance, through tests of memory, orientation in time and space, and ability to maintain attention, they found that the risk of cognitive impairment was 42 percent higher in people who were deficient in vitamin D, and 394 percent higher in people severely deficient.

"It appears that the odds of cognitive impairment increase as vitamin D levels go down, which is consistent with the findings of previous European studies. Given that both vitamin D deficiency and dementia are common throughout the world, this is a major public health concern," BW quoted study author David Llewellyn, of the University of Exeter Peninsula Medical School, said in the news release.

"Vitamin D supplements have proven to be a safe, inexpensive and effective way to treat deficiency," Llewellyn added. "However, few foods contain vitamin D and levels of supplementation in the U.S. are currently inadequate. More research is urgently needed to establish whether vitamin D supplementation has therapeutic potential for dementia."

About dementia
Globally, more than 35 million people are now suffering from dementia, a neurological disorder marked by a progressive decline in mental capabilities especially memory and functioning, which can be caused by diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, as well as stroke and infections to the brain.

It results in a loss of mental abilities such as thinking, remembering and reasoning. Although it is believed that genetics play a role in dementia, recent studies reveal that lifestyle factors might also influence the severity of the problems.

No cure for Alzheimer
Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia among older people. The recent medical treatments do help in relieving some symptoms of Alzheimer's, but cannot reverse its course.

Alzheimer's is the third-largest killer in the United States after heart disease and cancer.