Centrum Science

Micronutrients are vital for whole-body health, including cognitive function⁵

Can nutrition play a role in supporting cognitive health as we age?

The Canadian Landscape

Canada's population is aging rapidly. By 2025, 38% of the Canadian population was aged 50 and older.1As adults age, they can become vulnerable to micronutrient inadequacies due to:

  • Reduced digestion and absorption of micronutrients due to certain medications taken for concomitant conditions2,3
  • Life stage changes(age 50+)4 
  • Dietary choices and restrictions4 

Many Canadian adults have inadequate micronutrient intakes of key micronutrients:5*

Micronutrient  % of adult Canadians with inadequate intake
Vitamin D  >94% 
Vitamin A >47% 
Magnesium  >45% 
Calcium  >44% 
Vitamin C >29% 

Recognizing Micronutrient Deficiencies

Micronutrients are vital for whole-body health, including cognitive function.6

Common signs of nutrient deficiency include:7,6

  • Fatigue
  • Poor concentration
  • Weaker bones, cartilage, and teeth
  • Hair loss
  • Poor muscle function
The Science Behind Centrum Adult 50+: The COSMOS Studies 

The Science Behind Centrum Adult 50+: The COSMOS Studies

The COSMOS clinical trials are the first large-scale, long-term, randomized, controlled trials to examine the effects of a multivitamin on global cognition in older women and men.8

Key Clinical Findings Across 3 Large-Scale Trials:

  • COSMOS-Mind: Daily multivitamin supplementation significantly improved global cognition, episodic memory, and executive function compared to placebo over 3 years.
  • COSMOS-Web: Significantly improved episodic memory, with benefits observed within 1 year and sustained over 3 years. 9
  • COSMOS-Clinic: Statistically significant, more favourable change in episodic memory over 2 years in an in-person clinical setting. 10

"A Centrum multivitamin was chosen for these studies as it is the most clinically studied multivitamin in the world."

  • COSMOS-Mind study overview

    Study Design & Methodology:8

    • Design: Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial
    • Interventions: Centrum multivitamin† or Cocoa extract vs. placebo
    • Participants: 2,262 older adults aged ≥ 65 years
    • Duration: 3 years
    • Primary Assessments: Telephone-based cognitive testing battery evaluating global cognition, episodic memory, and executive function.

  • COSMOS-Mind study results

    Key Results:8

    1. Daily multivitamin supplementation significantly improved cognitive function as compared to placebo (Mean change z-score: 0.07, 95% CI: 0.02, 0.12; P=0.0007). 8
    2. Daily multivitamin supplementation significantly improved episodic memory (Mean change z-score: 0.06, 95% CI: 0.002, 0.13 P=0.04) and executive function (Mean change z-score: 0.06, 95% CI: 0.01, 0.11; P=0.02) compared to placebo. 8

What does this mean for your patients?

Daily multivitamin supplementation for three years may help slow cognitive decline associated with aging. 8

  • COSMOS-Web study overview

    Study Design & Methodology:9

    • Design: Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial
    • Interventions: Centrum multivitamin† vs. placebo
    • Participants: 3,562 older adults aged 60 years and older
    • Duration: 3 years
    • Primary Assessments: Web-based ModRey Immediate Recall test measuring episodic memory at baseline, 1 year, 2 years, and 3 years.

  • COSMOS-Web study results

    Key Results:9

    1. Daily multivitamin supplementation led to a statistically significant improvement in episodic memory compared to placebo. 9
    2. Significant differences were observed at Year 1: t(5889)=2.25 P=0.025. 9
    3. Benefits were sustained across all 3 years of follow-up: t(5889)=2.54, P=0.011.9

What does this mean for your patients?

Daily multivitamin supplementation for three years may improve episodic memory performance. 9

  • COSMOS-Clinic study overview

    Study Design & Methodology:10

    • Design: Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial
    • Interventions: Centrum multivitamin† or Cocoa extract vs. placebo
    • Participants: 573 older adults aged ≥ 60 years
    • Duration: 2 years
    • In-person neuropsychological battery evaluating global cognition, episodic memory, and executive function.

  • COSMOS-Clinic study results

    Key Results:10

    1. Daily multivitamin supplementation resulted in a statistically significant, more favourable change in episodic memory over 2 years compared to placebo (Secondary Endpoint). 10
    2. Mean change z-score: 0.12, 95% CI: 0.002, 0.23. 10
    3. Baseline to Year 2 change: 10
      • Placebo: -0.01 (Baseline) to 0.23 (Year 2)
      • Daily Multivitamin: 0.01 (Baseline) to 0.36 (Year 2)

What does this mean for your patients?

Daily multivitamin supplementation for two years may help improve memory in older adults. 10

The 6 pillars of brain health

Beyond Multivitamins – How can you support your patients’ cognitive health?

Simple lifestyle choices can help mitigate the effects of cognitive aging. 11,12

The 6 Pillars of Brain Health:

  1. Eat Well: Maintain a balanced, nutrient-rich diet to fuel brain function.
  2. Move Regularly: Engage in physical activity to support cerebral blood flow and cognition.
  3. Engage Your Brain: Challenge your mind with reading, puzzles, and new learning.
  4. Manage Stress: Practice stress-reduction techniques to protect brain structures.
  5. Sleep Well: Prioritize restorative sleep to support memory consolidation.
  6. Be Social: Stay connected with family, friends, and community.

Help your patients assess their overall lifestyle, identify nutritional gaps, and recommend multivitamin supplementation when appropriate.

Centrum Adult 50+

Canada's #1 Doctor and Pharmacist Recommended Multivitamin Brand

Recommend Centrum Adult 50+

Centrum Adult 50+ is specially formulated to meet the changing nutritional needs of older adults:

  • Contains more than 22 essential vitamins and minerals
  • Formulated with nutrients to help support and maintain:
    • Immune health
    • Energy metabolism
    • Bones, teeth, and cartilage
    • Normal function of the nervous system
    • Cognitive function

Daily supplementation with Centrum Adult 50+ is a readily accessible and practical intervention, clinically shown to help support cognitive function in older adults. 8,9‡

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