A daily multivitamin could keep your memory sharp as you age

There is a person by the name ofClare Wilson.

As we get older, taking a daily pill may help slow the decline in cognitive function.

People who took a commercially available supplement had a cognitive age that was 1.8 years younger than those who did not.

Laura Baker is an associate professor at Wake Forest University.

Doctors are divided on the benefits of taking vitamins. Studies have shown that people who take them have better health.

There was no benefit to taking supplements for most healthy people when these studies were done. People who look after their health in a variety of ways are more likely to use vitamins.

There is a trial in the US for people between the ages of 65 and 100.

Baker and her team started the study to find out if compounds found in chocolate could help delay cognitive decline with age. A group of people took a standard pill as a comparison.

At the beginning of the trial, the participants did an array of cognitive tests for memory, verbal and number skills over the phone, with the results merging into a single score.

Three years later, they were randomly chosen to take either a placebo or a combination of vitamins and minerals. Every year there were the same tests.

After one and two years, all the groups did better, but at three years, their scores became stagnant. People became more familiar with how to do the tests over the first two years.

The people who took the supplements scored higher than the people who took the placebo. It's not known which components of the tablets were to blame.

People who had surgery to widen the blood vessels to their heart were more likely to benefit from the vitamins. It is possible that cardiovascular disease has consequences for brain health.

The Alzheimer's Association says the findings are promising and could have a significant impact on public health. She says that they don't provide enough evidence to support a recommendation to use supplements.

The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association contains a reference to Alzheimer's and Dementia.