Findings from a meta-analysis suggest that Alzheimer’s disease patients may be low in six essential vitamins.*

Researchers reviewed 67 studies that reported average blood levels of vitamins A, B12, C, D and/or vitamin E and folate in people with Alzheimer’s disease and in healthy controls.

The meta-analysis showed significantly lower levels of vitamin C, followed by vitamin D, vitamin E, folate, vitamin A and vitamin B12 among Alzheimer’s disease patients compared with healthy controls.

The authors noted that vitamins A, C, and E decreased the risk of brain degeneration by lowering oxidative stress, and that low cognitive function scores have been associated with low vitamin D levels. Therefore, taking these vitamins at preliminary stages of Alzheimer’s disease may help delay cognitive decline.

Editor’s Note: “Our comprehensive analysis highlights the potential significance of vitamin levels in understanding Alzheimer’s disease pathology,” the authors concluded. “This underscores avenues for further research and potential therapeutic interventions targeting vitamin deficiencies in people with Alzheimer’s disease, potentially offering new strategies for managing the disease.”

* J Hum Nutr Diet. 2025 Feb;38(1):e70007.

Does Coffee Extend Healthspan?

Consuming three cups of coffee per day could extend healthy lifespan by nearly two years, according to a review published in Ageing Research Reviews.* 

Researchers examined over 50 studies and found that regular coffee consumption was associated with lower incidences of common age-related conditions such as cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, stroke, diabetes, dementia, depression, frailty, and some cancers. 

Coffee drinkers had a reduced risk of cardiovascular mortality and all-cause mortality.  The review also revealed that coffee drinkers have increased healthspan and a lower biological age in relation to their chronological age. 

Editor’s note: Analysis revealed that coffee and its components (like caffeine and chlorogenic acid) impacted numerous mechanisms associated with aging. This included reducing DNA damage, boosting mitochondrial function, reducing inflammaging, and more. 

* Ageing Res Rev. 2024;102:102581. 

Living Longer After a Heart Attack Linked to More Activity, Higher Vitamin D Levels

An analysis of heart attack patients found that both higher vitamin D levels and greater physical activity were associated with a decrease in the risk of dying during approximately 14.4 years of follow-up.*

Among individuals whose plasma vitamin D levels were among the top third, the risk of cardiovascular disease mortality and all-cause mortality was 37% and 32% lower, respectively, than the risk of those in the lowest third.

Greater physical activity, compared with light activity, was associated with a 28% lower risk of mortality from cardiovascular disease and a 16% lower risk of mortality from all causes.

People with low vitamin D levels and little physical activity had three times the risk of death during follow-up than those with high vitamin D levels and greater physical activity.

Editor’s Note: The study included 4,837 men and women who had a heart attack within 10 years of enrolling in the ongoing Alpha Omega Cohort. After baseline examinations from 2002-2006, follow-up lasted through 2022.

* Eur J Prev Cardiol. 2024 Nov 4:zwae359.

Glucosamine Slows Liver Disease

People who supplemented with glucosamine were found to have a lower risk of progression of steatotic (fatty) liver diseases, as well as a lower risk of all-cause mortality in people with metabolic liver disease, according to a recent study.*

The study included 455,870 participants in the UK Biobank, a medical database of UK residents. Among them, 236,658 had metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), 53,394 had metabolic dysfunction and alcohol-associated liver disease (MetALD) and 165,818 did not have steatotic liver disease.

After statistical adjustment, researchers observed a reduced risk of all-cause mortality among participants with MASLD and MetALD during follow-up among men and women who used glucosamine, compared with nonusers.

Additionally, progression to liver cirrhosis was reduced among men and women with MASLD, and decreased risk of cardiovascular disease was observed in both MASLD and MetALD participants who used glucosamine.

Editor’s Note: People with MASLD who used glucosamine also had a significantly lower risk of developing chronic kidney disease than those who did not.

* Clin Nutr. 2025 Feb 14:47:119-128.

Omega-3s Reduce Markers of Inflammation

In a randomized, double-blind, crossover study, marine-derived omega-3s significantly reduced inflammation-related gene activity in fat tissue, compared to plant-based omega-6s.*

The study included 39 participants 30 to 70 years old with abdominal obesity. For seven weeks, participants took either 3-4 grams per day of EPA/DHA (fish oil) or 15-20 grams per day of linoleic acid (safflower oil). This was followed by a nine-week washout period before they crossed over to the alternate supplement. Participants were evaluated on markers of systemic inflammation such as TNF-α, RANTES, MCP-1, and MIP-1β.

Results revealed that taking omega-3s led to overall downregulation of genes related to inflammatory processes in fat tissues, while taking omega-6s upregulated these genes.

Supplementation with omega-3s led to a significant reduction in markers of systemic inflammation, with TNF-α levels decreasing by 24.9%, compared to an 18.8% reduction in the omega-6 group.

Editor’s note: The authors concluded that the systemic anti-inflammatory effects might represent possible mechanisms for the favorable effect of omega-3s and omega-6s in the prevention of cardiometabolic diseases. A widely used common marker of systemic inflammation is hs-CRP, which can be determIned by a simple blood test.

* J Lipid Res. 2025 Apr;66(4):100770.