Researchers have found another clue that diet may influence how the brain ages. In a study of more than 2,000 older adults in Japan, people with lower levels of vitamin C in their blood tended to have less gray matter and weaker connections within an important brain network involved in memory and attention. While the findings do not prove that vitamin C protects the brain, they strengthen evidence that good nutrition could play a role in maintaining cognitive health later in life.
The research, led by Haruka Nagaya of Hirosaki University in Japan, was published on June 10, 2026, in the open access journal PLOS One.
Vitamin C and Brain Structure
Earlier studies have suggested that people who consume more vitamin C are less likely to experience cognitive impairment as they get older. However, relatively little research has examined whether vitamin C levels measured directly in the blood are associated with physical changes in the brain.
To investigate that question, the researchers analyzed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans and blood plasma samples from 2,044 Japanese adults over the age of 64.
