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New research published in the open-access journal General Psychiatry suggests a curious relationship between dietary thiamine, also known as vitamin B1, and mental acuity among older adults without cognitive impairments. The study reveals a J-shaped curve, indicating that while a certain amount of thiamine is beneficial for cognitive function, higher intake levels may lead to decline.
Conducted using data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS), the study involved 3,106 cognitively healthy participants aged 55 and above. Researchers analyzed their dietary habits and cognitive performance over an average monitoring period of nearly six years.
The findings suggest that a daily intake of 0.68 mg of thiamine appears to be the sweet spot for maintaining cognitive health in older adults. Below this threshold, there was little impact on cognitive function, but above it, higher intake levels were associated with cognitive decline.
Each daily increase of 1 mg of thiamine intake beyond the threshold was linked to a significant decline in cognitive scores within five years. Notably, a decline of about 4 points in the global cognitive score translated to a decline of at least 15% in cognitive function.
Furthermore, the study identified an optimal maintenance dose of 0.6 to less than 1 mg/day of thiamine for preserving cognitive function. This range was associated with the lowest risk of cognitive decline among participants.
The associations between thiamine intake and cognitive decline were stronger among certain subgroups, including obese individuals and non-smokers. However, further analysis revealed that factors like high blood pressure and smoking did not significantly modify these associations.
The study underscores the importance of maintaining optimal dietary thiamine intake levels in older adults to prevent cognitive decline. While the findings shed light on the potential benefits of thiamine for cognitive health, the researchers emphasize the need for further research to validate these observations.
It’s important to note that this study is observational and cannot establish causality. Additionally, the findings may not be universally applicable, as the study focused on older adults in China. Nonetheless, the research highlights the potential role of thiamine in preserving cognitive function and the importance of dietary considerations for cognitive health in aging populations.
