In addition to the everyday digestive support supplements that I recommend everyone take on a daily basis (whether or not they have “digestive” issues)—High fiber, Omega-3, Probiotics, and digestive Enyzmes (I call it the H.O.P.E. Formula)—I always recommend vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency is very common, even in “healthy” people and in those who get regular sun exposure. (Sun is a major source of vitamin D.)

A recent study published in the journal Neurology found that people who are severely vitamin D deficient are more than twice as likely to develop dementia and Alzheimer’s disease as those with normal vitamin D levels. Even those people who were moderately deficient still had a 53 percent increased risk of dementia and a 69 percent increased risk of Alzheimer’s.

“We expected to find an association between low vitamin D levels and the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, but the results were surprising—we actually found that the association was twice as strong as we anticipated,” stated David Llewellyn, PhD.

The study involved over 1,650 adults over the age of 65 who were free from dementia, cardiovascular disease, and stroke at the beginning of the study. They were followed for six years to determine who would develop dementia or Alzheimer’s.

“Clinical trials are now needed to establish whether eating foods such as oily fish or taking vitamin D supplements can delay or even prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia,” noted Llewellyn.

Daily supplementation with vitamin D is recommended for most people. Regular testing of vitamin D levels is helpful to determine what dosage you need. The Vitamin D Council is an excellent resource for all you need to know about vitamin D.