Some degree of memory loss with age is normal and is not necessarily an indication of Alzheimer's disease. But researchers in Austria have found that there could be one way to hold off age-related memory loss. Healthy people aged 50 to 75 who had low levels of the antioxidant vitamin E in their blood scored worse on tests of mental function, including memory than seniors with high levels of vitamin E in their blood.
More research is needed to determine the exact link between vitamin E and memory.
Doctors aren't sure if people with poorer mental functioning are less likely to eat nutritious diets, or if vitamin E actually affects memory. Even if we don't yet know the impact of vitamin E on memory, doctors at UT Southwestern have found that vitamin E does help prevent heart disease. It's hard to get high amounts of vitamin E from a normal diet because it's found primarily in nuts and oils, so vitamin E supplements are recommended. Other antioxidant vitamins, like beta carotene, also to help fight disease and may help keep memory sharp, too. Other Topics Health Watch is intended to provide general information only and should not replace the advice of a medical professional.