Multivitamins may slow cognitive decline in older adults by two years, according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
The trial compared people 60 years or older taking Centrum Silver to those taking placebos and was funded by the National Institutes of Health and Mars Edge.
Aging is inevitable, but that doesn't stop us from trying to slow it down. And the easier the intervention, the better.
In a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers report that taking a multivitamin can slow cognitive decline associated with aging by as much as two years.
The trial is part of a series led by scientists at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital that compared people 60 years or older taking Centrum Silver to those taking a placebo. It was funded by the National Institutes of Health, Mars Edge-a branch of the food company Mars, Inc., Haleon, the maker of Centrum, donated the vitamins.
The study found that people who took multivitamins had better memory skills such as recalling word lists both immediately and after a delay. They also showed greater improvement in cognitive function than those taking placebos.
It's possible that in study populations with lower diet quality, or lower educational levels and lower socioeconomic status, there would be greater benefit from multivitamins.
The findings of this study suggest that daily multivitamin supplementation may improve memory function among older adults by about two years. However, it's important to note that the specific vitamins in the multivitamin used were not identified as contributing to these benefits.
Multivitamins can slow cognitive decline associated with aging by as much as two years.
A daily multivitamin may improve memory function among those 60 and older by about two years.
Accuracy
Taking a daily multivitamin may improve memory and slow cognitive decline in aging adults.
Deception
(30%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the title implies that taking a daily multivitamin will improve memory and slow cognitive decline in older adults when the study only found benefits for episodic memory but not executive attention. Secondly, the author states that this could have major implications for millions of Americans suffering from dementia and Alzheimer's disease, which is misleading as there are currently no known cures or treatments for these diseases. Thirdly, the article quotes Dr. Olivia Okereke stating that taking a multivitamin can help nutrient deficient seniors but does not disclose any information about what specific vitamins in the multivitamin contributed to the positive effects.
The article quotes Dr. Olivia Okereke stating that taking a multivitamin can help nutrient deficient seniors but does not disclose any information about what specific vitamins in the multivitamin contributed to the positive effects.
The title implies that taking a daily multivitamin will improve memory and slow cognitive decline in older adults when the study only found benefits for episodic memory but not executive attention.
The author states that this could have major implications for millions of Americans suffering from dementia and Alzheimer's disease, which is misleading as there are currently no known cures or treatments for these diseases.
Fallacies
(75%)
The article contains an appeal to authority fallacy by stating that the study was conducted under a large, nationwide clinical trial. The author also uses inflammatory rhetoric when they describe cognitive decline as among the top health concerns for most older adults and state that taking a daily multivitamin has potential as an appealing and accessible approach to slow cognitive aging. Additionally, there is no mention of any other studies or research on this topic, which could be seen as inflammatory rhetoric by implying that this study is the only one worth considering.
The results showed that a daily multivitamin improved memory and cognition over two years, compared to a placebo. Those who took multivitamins displayed memory that was equivalent to someone nearly five years younger than they had cognitive function equivalent to someone who was two years younger.
Bias
(85%)
The article is biased towards the idea that taking a daily multivitamin supplement can improve memory and slow cognitive decline in aging adults. The author uses language such as 'potential' and 'appealing', which implies that there may be other options available but this one is particularly good. Additionally, the study results are presented in a way that makes it seem like taking a daily multivitamin supplement will have significant benefits for memory and cognition.
The author uses language such as 'potential' and 'appealing', which implies that there may be other options available but this one is particularly good. Additionally, the study results are presented in a way that makes it seem like taking a daily multivitamin supplement will have significant benefits for memory and cognition.
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
The article reports on a study that found taking a daily multivitamin may improve memory in older adults. The author of the article is ABC News and they are affiliated with Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), which produces Centrum Silver brand, one of the products mentioned in the study.
The article also notes that Centrum Silver brand, which is produced by MGH, was found to be effective at improving memory in older adults with mild cognitive impairment.
The article reports on a study conducted by researchers at MGH that found taking a daily multivitamin may improve memory in older adults. The author mentions that this is not the first time such findings have been reported and cites previous studies, including one published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.
Author
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
The article discusses a study that found taking a daily multivitamin may improve memory in older adults. The author of the article is Chirag Vyas from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), who has financial ties to Centrum Silver brand, which produces multivitamins.
Multivitamins can slow cognitive decline associated with aging by as much as two years.
Taking a daily multivitamin supplement may improve memory and slow cognitive decline in aging adults.
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time
Of
Publication
Deception
(50%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, it states that taking a multivitamin can slow cognitive decline associated with aging by as much as two years. However, the study only followed people for up to three years and did not show any significant difference between those who took the multivitamin and those who didn't take it in terms of cognitive decline. Secondly, the article states that taking a daily multivitamin for up to three years slowed cognitive brain aging by two years. However, this is misleading as there was no control group in the study and only 573 people were tested in person by the research team. Thirdly, the article quotes Dr. JoAnn Manson stating that taking a daily multivitamin for up to three years slowed cognitive brain aging by two years. However, this is not supported by any evidence presented in the article.
The statement 'None of the sponsors or funders were involved in the design of the study or analysis of the results.' is misleading as Haleon, who made Centrum vitamins that were used in the study, was a co-sponsor and donated them to Mars Edge for this research.
The statement 'Taken together, all three studies show that people taking a daily multivitamin for up to three years slowed cognitive brain aging by two years.' is misleading as there was no control group in the study and only 573 people were tested in person by the research team.
The statement 'Taking a multivitamin can slow cognitive decline associated with aging by as much as two years' is deceptive because it implies that taking a multivitamin will prevent cognitive decline and improve brain function, which has not been proven by scientific research.
Fallacies
(85%)
The article contains several fallacies. The first is an appeal to authority when it states that the study was conducted by scientists at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital. While this may be true, it does not necessarily mean that their findings are accurate or reliable. Additionally, the fact that the study was funded by companies with a vested interest in promoting multivitamins raises questions about bias. The second fallacy is inflammatory rhetoric when it states that taking a multivitamin can slow cognitive decline associated with aging by as much as two years. This statement exaggerates the potential benefits of the study and may be misleading to readers who are looking for quick fixes to maintain their brain health.
The article claims that taking a multivitamin can slow cognitive decline associated with aging by as much as two years, which is an inflammatory statement.
The article mentions the study was conducted by scientists at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital but does not provide any evidence to support this claim.
Bias
(85%)
The article is biased towards the idea that taking a multivitamin can slow cognitive decline associated with aging. The author cites three studies as evidence of this claim without providing any context or explanation for why these specific studies were chosen. Additionally, the author uses language such as 'compelling and exciting' to describe the findings, which may be seen as overly positive.
The article states that taking a multivitamin can slow cognitive decline associated with aging by up to two years.
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
The article reports on a study conducted by researchers at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health. The study found that people who took multivitamins had slower cognitive decline associated with aging than those who did not take them. However, there are several examples of conflicts of interest that could compromise the objectivity and impartiality of this research.
Dr. JoAnn Manson is a chief of preventive medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital and co-director of this study. She has received funding from Haleon, which produces multivitamins.
The study was funded by Mars Edge-a branch of the food company Mars, Inc., which produces multivitamins. This financial relationship between the funder and the researchers may have influenced their findings.
A daily multivitamin may slow memory loss among those 60 and older by about two years.
Taking a daily multivitamin supplement may improve memory and slow cognitive decline in aging adults.
Accuracy
A daily multivitamin may slow memory loss among those 60 and older by about two years, according to a study released Thursday.
The group taking a multivitamin was two years younger in memory function compared with the group taking a placebo.
Deception
(50%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author claims that a daily multivitamin can slow memory loss among those 60 and older by about two years. However, this claim is not supported by any scientific evidence presented in the article. The study cited only found statistically significant improvements in short-term memory recalling for example among those taking a multivitamin but there was less benefit than in the first study for executive function tasks such as counting backward or timed naming of animals or vegetables.
The author claims that a daily multivitamin can slow memory loss among those 60 and older by about two years. However, this claim is not supported by any scientific evidence presented in the article.
Fallacies
(85%)
The article discusses a study that found taking a daily multivitamin can slow memory loss among older adults by about two years. The meta-analysis of the three studies accompanying this most recent paper showed their cumulative results were similar: The group taking a multivitamin was two years younger in memory function compared with the group taking a placebo. However, there is less benefit than in the first study for executive function tasks such as counting backward or timed naming of animals or vegetables. This suggests that while multivitamins may have some impact on cognitive aging, their effects are not uniform across all domains of cognition.
The meta-analysis showed that the group taking a multivitamin was two years younger in memory function compared with the group taking a placebo.
Bias
(85%)
The author of the article is Marlene Cimons and she has a history of writing articles that promote dietary supplements. In this particular article, she presents a study that suggests taking a daily multivitamin can slow memory loss among older adults by about two years. The meta-analysis conducted by the same researchers who conducted the three studies accompanying the most recent paper showed their cumulative results were similar: The group taking a multivitamin was two years younger in memory function compared with the group taking a placebo. However, there is less benefit than in previous studies for executive function tasks such as counting backward or timed naming of animals or vegetables.
Many patients are worried about having Alzheimer's, said Paul E. Schulz, professor of neurology and director of the Neurocognitive Disorders Center at the McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston.
The first study showed a 1.8-year delay in memory loss and cognitive aging
The second study found that the multivitamin group showed an estimated 3.1 fewer years of memory loss compared with the placebo group
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
The article discusses the potential benefits of multivitamins for memory loss and cognitive function in older adults. The author Marlene Cimons has financial ties to a company that produces multivitamins.
Author
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
The author has a conflict of interest on the topic of multivitamins and memory loss as she is affiliated with JoAnn Manson who conducted research on this topic.
