Trial finds supplements could slow decline by 60% but Alzheimer’s and dementia experts caution larger studies needed.

A daily multivitamin and mineral supplement may reduce cognitive decline in older people, according to a US study that is the first to demonstrate they may benefit ageing brain function.

The trial, involving more than 2,200 over-65s, suggests that daily supplements may slow cognitive decline by about 60%, or nearly two years, with the most substantial effects seen in older people with a history of cardiovascular disease.

But while experts in Alzheimer’s disease and dementia are encouraged by the findings, they caution that larger studies are needed to confirm the effect before recommending daily multivitamins to help protect older people from cognitive decline. Previous tests of dietary supplements have had no effect on the disease.

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