Elderly people with high serum vitamin E levels are less likely to suffer from memory disorders than their peers with lower levels, according to a new study published in the journal Experimental Gerontology. Those with lower levels may benefit from increased consumption of foods high in vitamin E, like pistachios and various fruits and vegetables.
Researchers at University of Eastern Finland, the Finnish National Institute for Health and Welfare, Karolinska Institutet and the University of Perugia studied various forms of vitamin E and their role in memory processes in a sample of 140 over 65-year-old Finnish persons with no memory impairment at the onset of the study.
Studies investigating the link between vitamin E and memory disorders have usually focused on a single form of vitamin E, namely α-tocopherol, which is also used in vitamin E supplements. However, vitamin E exists in eight different natural forms, tocopherols and tocotrienols, all of which have antioxidant properties.
During the 8-year follow-up, it was discovered that higher total serum levels of vitamin E, and higher levels of γ-tocopherol, β-tocotrienol and total tocotrienols in particular, seemed to protect against memory disorders. According to the researchers, the results show that the entire vitamin E family plays a role in memory processes.
