Just one bowl of cereal a day may raise risk of DEMENTIA – as study links cognitive decline to vitamin also in rice and oatmeal

Cereals regarded as healthy may actually raise your risk of dementia — and it’s not because of the sugar.

A study published in the journal General Psychiatry found a link between a vitamin in brands such as Cheerios and Shreddies and cognitive decline, which can be a precursor for dementia.

Thiamine, or vitamin B1, is also found naturally in whole grains, legumes, liver and salmon, and not getting enough of it has also been linked to health issues.

But researchers say for the first time they’ve discovered a J-shaped curve that indicates consuming too much also has negative consequences.

The ‘sweet spot’ of the amount of thiamine to consume, according to the research, is 0.68mg per day.

A six-ounce salmon has about 0.6-0.7 mg of thiamine in it, a six-ounce pork chop has 1.1 mg and a 30g bowl of cereal has roughly 1.2 mg.

It calls into question the daily value recommended by the Food and Drug Administration – which is 1.2 mg of thiamine per day.

Researchers said: ‘Thiamine deficiency may lead to an insufficient supply of energy to the neurons of the brain… which may impair cognitive function… our study highlights the importance of maintaining optimal dietary thiamine intake levels in the general older population to prevent cognitive decline.’

The study looked at data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS), which included 3,100 people between 1989 and 2011 who reported their diet from and took cognitive tests four times from 1997 to 2006.

The average age of a study subject was 63 and tests included word recall and number pattern challenges. 

Over the course of follow-ups, researchers found a J-shaped curve association between thiamine consumption and a decline in scores on the cognitive tests. 

The average thiamine intake among study subjects was 0.93 mg per day. The J-shape curve revealed the ideal amount was 0.68 mg per day, but that a range between 0.6 mg and 1.00 mg per day had minimal risks.

However, every 1.0 mg per day above the safe limit of 0.68 mg was associated with a fall of 4.24 points on the global cognitive score. 

The associations researchers observed were stronger in people who were obese, had high blood pressure or did not smoke. 

The global cognitive score ranges from zero to 27, meaning a decline of about four points is a decline in cognitive function of at least 15 percent. 

A separate study looking at the health effects of another vitamin B – niacin, or vitamin B3 – found it was associated with heart attacks, strokes and cardiac conditions. 

Similar to thiamine, niacin is also in breakfast cereals and ‘enriched’ or ‘fortified’ products. 

The researchers stressed that more studies need to be done on the subject, as thiamine has a host of health benefits, including strengthening the immune system, regulating diabetes, aiding digestion, promoting heart health and increasing energy.