Scientists named a vitamin capable of protecting the brain in old age

Japanese scientists from Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine have found that blood vitamin C levels may be directly linked to brain health in older adults. The results of the large-scale study have been published in the authoritative scientific journal PLOS ONE.

The researchers analyzed data from more than two thousand people over the age of 64. The plasma vitamin C concentration of each participant was compared with their brain magnetic resonance imaging results.

The findings proved quite telling. People with lower vitamin C levels were significantly more likely to show reduced gray matter volume — the very brain tissue responsible for information processing, memory, and thinking. In addition, these participants exhibited weakened connectivity between regions of the so-called default mode network of the brain, which is involved in attention, self-reflection, and the storage of autobiographical memories.

Notably, the identified pattern persisted even after the scientists accounted for other factors that could affect brain health — age, education level, and physical activity.

As the authors of the study note, the findings point to a potential role of vitamin C in maintaining cognitive function in old age. This vitamin has long been known for its powerful antioxidant properties and its ability to protect cells from damage associated with aging processes.

"This discovery suggests that a diet rich in vitamin C may help preserve brain health and slow age-related cognitive decline," said study co-author Tomohiro Shintaku.

At the same time, the scientists emphasize an important caveat: the study identified only a correlation between vitamin C levels and brain health but does not prove a causal relationship. Further research involving more diverse population groups will be needed to definitively confirm the results.