A new study from researchers at Hirosaki University in Japan found that lower levels of vitamin C in the blood were associated with measurably less brain tissue and altered structural network patterns in a sample of 2,044 older adults, according to findings published June 10, 2026 in PLOS ONE and reported by Everyday Health [1]. Participants, with a median age of 69, underwent fasting blood draws and brain MRI scans at a single center. The study was supported by the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development under grant numbers JP16dk0207025 and JP21dk0207053, with additional support from KAGOME CO., LTD.
Study Methodology
Data for this analysis were drawn from the Iki-Iki Health Promotion Project, a community-based health study of older adults in Hirosaki City, Japan, focused on risk factors for dementia and heart disease. Approximately 2,390 residents participated, and just over 2,000 met all requirements for the final analysis, according to the report [1]. Each participant had blood drawn after an overnight fast and underwent a brain MRI scan using the same high-powered scanner. Vitamin C concentrations were measured directly from blood samples rather than estimated from dietary questionnaires, a methodological strength that the authors noted adds reliability compared with prior nutrition-and-brain studies.
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