The effect of antioxidant vitamins E and C on cognitive performance of the elderly with mild cognitive impairment in Isfahan, Iran: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

PURPOSE: This study was carried out to investigate the effect of vitamins E and C on cognitive performance among the elderly in Iran.

METHODS

About 256 elderly with mild cognitive impairment, aged 60-75 years, received 300 mg of vitamin E plus 400 mg of vitamin C or placebo daily just for 1 year.

BACKGROUND

Demographic characteristics, anthropometric variables food consumption, cognitive function by Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and some of the oxidative stress biomarkers were examined.

RESULTS

Antioxidant supplementation reduced malondialdehyde level (P < 0.001) and raised total antioxidant capacity (P < 0.001) and glutathione (P < 0.01). The serum 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine remained unchanged (P < 0.4). After adjusting for the covariates effects, MMSE scores following 6- (25.88 ± 0.17) and 12-month antioxidant supplementation (26.8 ± 0.17) did not differ from control group (25.86 ± 0.18 and 26.59 ± 0.18, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Despite significant improvement in most of the oxidative stress biomarkers, antioxidants' supplementation was not observed to enhance cognitive performance. A large number of kinetic and/or dynamic factors could be suspected.