Vitamin E: Good for Your Memory?

Vitamin E: Good for Your Memory?
Can vitamin E help keep us mentally alert as we get older? Maybe, say scientists who point to research that shows a link between serum vitamin E levels and memory function in elderly people. An article in a recent issue of Nutrition Reviews highlights some of the research that has added to what scientists already know about this nutrient.
In one large study, more than 4,000 men and women over age 60 performed several tests designed to assess their ability to remember facts. Those in the study classified as having "poor memory" were more likely than others to have low blood levels of vitamin E. The results of another study suggested that vitamin E supplements might slow the progression of the mental deterioration of Alzheimer's disease, and a third showed a correlation between past intake of vitamin E and mental acuity in old age.
How might vitamin E work to keep brain cells healthy? Scientists aren't sure, but they have several theories. They know that vitamin E is a potent antioxidant, protecting cells from damage caused by "free radical" molecules, which are produced by the body when it uses oxygen. Brain cells use lots of oxygen, making them particularly susceptible to this kind of cell damage. Antioxidant nutrients like vitamin E act as buffers against the damage caused by free radical molecules, thereby keeping brain cells healthy and working properly.
Scientists also speculate that conditions like Alzheimer's disease may be caused by the same kind of damage to blood vessels that leads to heart disease. They think that vitamin E helps to keep blood vessels healthy by hindering the formation of cholesterol-filled plaque deposits on artery walls. If vitamin E can help keep the blood vessels of the cardiovascular system healthy, then it may also work to keep the blood vessels in the brain free of damaging plaque deposits.
Before consumers reach for their vitamin E supplements, though, they should be aware that not all studies that have looked at vitamin E and memory have found a connection between the two. Scientists continue to study this issue, but according to the National Academy of Sciences (the group that sets the US Dietary Reference Intake for each nutrient), there is not yet enough scientific proof of the memory-preserving power of vitamin E to warrant a recommendation that all consumers take vitamin E supplements as a hedge against age-related memory loss. Their best recommendation at this time is to choose a balanced diet that includes good food sources of vitamin E: vegetable oils, wheat germ, fruits, and vegetables.