Daily supplementation with Centrum Silver multivitamin for three years improves immediate verbal memory recall in adults aged 65 and older, as measured by the ModRey test, with an average improvement equivalent to reversing 3.1 years of age-related memory decline, but has no significant effect on memory retention, executive function, or novel object recognition.

Taking a daily multivitamin increases levels of specific vitamins in the blood, which activate receptors in the hippocampus, a brain region critical for forming new memories. This activation boosts the growth of new nerve cells and strengthens connections between existing ones, allowing the brain to better hold onto newly heard information for a few seconds. This effect only happens for immediate recall and does not change how long memories last or other thinking skills.