Higher Plasma α-Carotene Was Associated With Better Cognitive Function: A Cross-Sectional Evaluation Among the MIND Trial Participants

Year Published: 2021

Journal

Current Developments in Nutrition

Authors

Xiaoran Liu, Klodian Dhana, Jeremy Furtado, Puja Agarwal, Neelum Aggarwal, Christy Tangney, Nancy Laranjo, Vincent Carey, Lisa Barnes, Frank Sacks

Methods

This study looked at the association between plasma carotenoids and cognition among 295 participants at risk for cognitive decline and enrolled in the MIND diet study.

Key Findings

Key Findings: Results showed that high blood levels of α-carotene, reflecting higher intakes of certain foods including nuts, was associated with better cognition in a population at risk for Alzheimer’s Disease in the US. Although nuts like peanuts do not contain high levels of vitamin A, it is possible that the fat in peanuts may increase the bioavailability and bioconversion of vitamin A.