A cross-sectional study of vitamin C and cognitive function in older adults: the differential effects of gender

Previous studies have suggested that vitamin C status may be associated with cognitive function in community-dwelling populations. However, this has not been consistent across all studies due to methodological differences. This cross-sectional study assessed the association between vitamin C and cognitive function in 544 community-dwelling older adults aged 65 or older who participated in both the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) and the CLUE II study in 1989. Three percent of the subjects had low plasma vitamin C concentrations (< 40 mg/dL) and 15% had low total vitamin C intake (< 60 mg/day). Most participants (96.7 percent) had normal cognitive function. In the unadjusted analyses, the highest fifth of plasma vitamin C concentration was associated with better Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) scores and marginally associated with Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) compared to the lowest fifth. Total vitamin C intake, measured by Block's food frequency questionnaire, was generally associated with higher MMSE scores, though it was not significant. Adjusting for numerous factors did not substantially change results. In a stratified analysis by gender, higher plasma concentrations or intake were associated with higher MMSE scores for men but not for women. These mixed results do not provide strong evidence of an association between vitamin C concentrations or intake and cognitive function.