Health experts have long known that vitamin D is important for healthy bones and teeth. It may also help to protect the body against diseases such as diabetes and cancer. And now, researchers say vitamin D might help fight brain diseases called dementias.
Dementias are brain diseases that damage thinking and memory processes, what scientists call “cognitive abilities.” Dementias are difficult to treat. Taking care of someone who has dementia is extremely demanding. And the disease is very frightening to sufferers.
Chris Roberts suffers from dementia. He says the worst part of living with this disease was getting lost while driving.
"The worst thing that I found was getting lost in the car, not just forgetting where I was going - I wouldn't know where I was."
More than 47 million people around the world suffer from dementia. The World Health Organization reports that 60 percent of them live in low- and middle-income countries.
Now a new study in the United States shows a possible link between dementia and low levels of vitamin D.
From where do we get vitamin D?
We get vitamin D from some foods like nuts, lentils and fatty fish like salmon and mackerel.