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The relationship between vitamin D levels and Alzheimer’s disease risk: insights from a centenarian study of Chinese women
Vitamin D₃ (VD₃) has been proposed to help prevent Alzheimer’s disease (AD), but evidence remains limited for centenarians, particularly women, who often follow distinct patterns of cognitive aging. The purpose of this study by Li et al. (2025) was to examine the relationship between the risk of AD in Chinese female centenarians and their blood 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D]] levels. A total of 514 women aged 100 years or older from the China Healthy Longevity Multicenter Study (CHLMS) were included. AD diagnoses were based on education-adjusted MMSE cutoffs and exclusion of other dementia types. Blood levels of 25(OH)D and other biochemical markers were assessed in standardized labs. Higher serum 25(OH)D levels were linked to significantly lower odds of developing AD. The authors found that for every 1 ng/mL rise in 25(OH)D, the risk of getting AD decreased by 5%. Compared to women in the lowest quartile of vitamin D, those in the top quartile had an 87% decreased incidence of AD. RCS analysis revealed a strong inverse relationship, with the most pronounced benefit occurring at levels below 29.3 ng/mL. Subgroup analyses confirmed these findings across various demographic and health characteristics, with no notable interactions. Among Chinese female centenarians, higher vitamin D₃ levels are associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease, especially at concentrations below 29.3 ng/mL. These results suggest that vitamin D₃ could be a modifiable factor in preserving cognitive health in the oldest-old population and warrant further clinical research. [NPID: Vitamin D3, Alzheimer’s disease, centenarians, cognitive aging, neurodegenerative risk]
Year: 2025
