Vitamin D supplementation has no effect on cognitive performance after four months in mid-aged and older subjects
Rolf Jorde1, Julia Kubiak2, Johan Svartberg1
1Tromsø Endocrine Research Group, Department of Clinical Medicine, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway; Division of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway.
Background:
Low serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels are associated with impaired cognitive function, but the effect of vitamin D supplementation on cognitive function is uncertain.
Methods:
422 subjects were included in a randomized controlled trial with vitamin D (cholecalciferol) 100,000 IU given as a bolus dose followed by 20,000 IU per week versus placebo for four months. Cognitive function was evaluated with verbal recall test, coding test and tapping test.
Results:
374 subjects (mean age 52 years, 198 males) had complete cognitive tests both at baseline and at end of study. Mean baseline serum 25(OH)D level was 34 nmol/L. At baseline there were no significant associations between serum 25(OH)D and the three separate cognitive tests. At the end of the study mean serum 25(OH)D levels were 89 nmol/L and 31 nmol/L in the vitamin D and placebo groups, respectively. At the end of the study, there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups regarding change in the cognitive test scores. Nor did sub-group analyses based on gender, age, baseline serum 25(OH)D and cognitive test scores reveal significant differences between the two groups at the end of the study.
Conclusions:
Vitamin D supplementation did not improve cognitive function during a four months intervention in mid-aged and older subjects.
Trial Registration:
ClinicalTrials.govNCT02750293.
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