Michael Mosley swears by 2p vitamin to prevent dementia and boost immune system

17 January 2024 , 10:32

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This vitamin can help prevent dementia (Stock Photo) (Image: Getty Images)

TV presenter Dr. Michael Mosley claims there is a cheap vitamin he takes every day - and he advises you do the same.

The medical expert advises that everyone should incorporate the tablet - which costs just 2p a day - into their daily habits because it can seriously boost your immune system, especially in the wintertime. If a supercharged immune system wasn't enough of a reason to go and buy some of these supplements today, the powerhouse vitamin can also reduce your risk of dementia.

The medically trained journalist and presenter made the recommendation on an episode of his BBC podcast - Just One Thing - and admitted that taking supplements isn't something that he would usually advise. "I don't usually recommend supplements, but I do make an exception for this one. It’s vitamin D. And it can be bought very cheaply - with 400 pills available for less than £8 online meaning they're less than 2p a day," he explained.

Vitamin D also has the ability to help ease symptoms of depression, and Mosley broke down exactly why it's such a crucial supplement to integrate into your routine at this time of year.

"It is essential for healthy bones and a properly functioning immune system. And unfortunately, at this time of year in the UK, many of us are deficient in vitamin D, and that's because it just simply isn't bright enough out there to generate vitamin D in our skin."

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Studies have shown that Vitamin D deficiency can increase your risk of dementia and Alzheimer's, and recent research conducted by the University of Exeter and the University of Calgary’s Hotchkiss Brain Institute in Canada showed that taking supplements "found that taking vitamin D was associated with living dementia-free for longer".

Equally, the study showed that it's never too soon to start taking the vitamin to ensure better cognition, and they "found evidence to suggest that earlier supplementation might be particularly beneficial, before the onset of cognitive decline."

The NHS advises that between October and March everyone takes a supplement that contains 10 micrograms of vitamin D: "During the autumn and winter, you need to get vitamin D from your diet because the sun is not strong enough for the body to make vitamin D."

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Emma Mackenzie