Effectiveness of vitamin-B supplements on cognition in older adults: A meta-analysis

Objectives: We aimed to investigate the efficacy of B-vitamin and folic acid supplementation in slowing down cognitive function decline among older adults.Methods: We searched databases for trials comparing B-vitamin and folate supplementation versus placebo in older adults identified with or without impaired cognition.Results: 23 articles were eligible and included in this meta-analysis. The mean difference (MD) in homocysteine levels was significant between the compared groups (MD:-4.52; 95%CI:-5.41 to 3.63, P < 0.001). However, the difference in the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) was non-significant between the compared groups with or without cognitive impairment (MD:0.19; 95%CI: -0.148 to 0.531, P = 0.27), and (MD:0.04; 95%CI:-0.1 to 0.18, P = 0.59), respectively. The difference in Clinical Dementia Rating-sum of box (CDR-SOB) scores was non-significant (MD:-0.16; 95%CI:-0.49 to 0.18; P = 0.36). Conclusions: B-vitamin and folate supplementations significantly reduced homocysteine levels. However, it failed to provide significant benefits over placebo in preventing or slowing the decline in cognitive function. (c) 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.