Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41764841›Full record

SynthesisThe journal of prevention of Alzheimer's disease2026

Nutritional supplements and cognition in healthy aging and mild cognitive impairment patients: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Xing Liu, Chenyi Yang, Xinyi Wang, Huihui Liao, Huan Liu, Ji Ma, Yi Sun, Haiyun Wang

Abstract readSystematic ReviewNetwork Meta-Analysis
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in The journal of prevention of Alzheimer's disease, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Xing LiuThe Third Central Clinical College of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300170, China; Department of Anesthesiology, Tianjin University Central Hospital, Tianjin 300170, China; Department of Anesthesiology, Central Hospital, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300170, China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Extracorporeal Life Support for Critical Diseases, Tianjin, China.
Chenyi YangNankai University, Tianjin 300071, China.
Xinyi WangThe Third Central Clinical College of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300170, China; Department of Anesthesiology, Tianjin University Central Hospital, Tianjin 300170, China; Department of Anesthesiology, Central Hospital, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300170, China; Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Extracorporeal Life Support for Critical Diseases, Tianjin, China.
Huihui LiaoThe Third Central Clinical College of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300170, China; Department of Anesthesiology, Tianjin University Central Hospital, Tianjin 300170, China; Department of Anesthesiology, Central Hospital, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300170, China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Extracorporeal Life Support for Critical Diseases, Tianjin, China.
Huan LiuThe Third Central Clinical College of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300170, China; Department of Anesthesiology, Tianjin University Central Hospital, Tianjin 300170, China; Department of Anesthesiology, Central Hospital, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300170, China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Extracorporeal Life Support for Critical Diseases, Tianjin, China.
Ji MaThe Third Central Clinical College of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300170, China; Department of Anesthesiology, Tianjin University Central Hospital, Tianjin 300170, China; Department of Anesthesiology, Central Hospital, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300170, China; Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Extracorporeal Life Support for Critical Diseases, Tianjin, China.
Yi SunThe Third Central Clinical College of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300170, China; Department of Anesthesiology, Tianjin University Central Hospital, Tianjin 300170, China; Department of Anesthesiology, Central Hospital, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300170, China; Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Extracorporeal Life Support for Critical Diseases, Tianjin, China.
Haiyun WangThe Third Central Clinical College of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300170, China; Department of Anesthesiology, Tianjin University Central Hospital, Tianjin 300170, China; Department of Anesthesiology, Central Hospital, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300170, China; Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Extracorporeal Life Support for Critical Diseases, Tianjin, China. Electronic address: why819@126.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundNutritional supplementation is increasingly regarded as a potential strategy to preserve or enhance cognitive function in individuals with healthy aging and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). However, its overall efficacy remains uncertain due to inconsistent findings across clinical trials.

methodsIn accordance with the guidelines outlined by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses of Network Meta-Analyses, we conducted a comprehensive systematic search. Our inclusion criteria focused on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that examined the impact of nutrient supplementation on cognitive function within healthy aging and MCI patients. The primary outcome of interest was the change in cognitive function, while the secondary outcome involved alterations in blood biochemical markers (e.g., homocysteine, vitamin B12, and serum folate levels).

resultsThe meta-analysis results indicated that docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)+eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)+vitamin E+tryptophan+melatonin, as well as melatonin alone, significantly enhanced global cognitive function. Additionally, DHA, folic acid+DHA, and the DHA+EPA+vitamin E+tryptophan+melatonin were all effective in augmenting memory. DHA alone was found to be beneficial in improving processing speed, whereas vitamin D3 was associated with improvements in visuospatial function. Notably, sensitivity analyses revealed that while most domain-specific effects remained stable, the rankings of certain small-sample interventions were sensitive to study duration and sample size. Supplementation with folic acid, vitamin B12, and vitamin B6, whether administered individually or in combination, resulted in varying improvements in blood biomarkers, including homocysteine, vitamin B12, and serum folate levels.

conclusionsNutritional supplementation demonstrates nuanced, domain-specific benefits rather than universal cognitive enhancement. While specific multi-nutrient combinations show potential, their effects are significantly influenced by baseline cognitive status, age, and intervention duration. Our findings suggest that nutritional strategies should be tailored to individual cognitive profiles, emphasizing the need for personalized interventions and further high-quality, longitudinal trials to confirm long-term clinical impact.

Indexed as

CognitionCognitive DysfunctionDietary SupplementsHealthy AgingCognitive EnhancementDocosahexaenoic AcidsFolic AcidHumansMelatoninRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicDocosahexaenoic AcidsFolic AcidMelatoninBlood biomarkersCognitive functionMild cognitive impairmentNetwork meta-analysisNutrient supplementationOmega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids

Identifiers

PMID41764841
PMCPMC12966656

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.