High dose of B vitamins can halve the rate of brain shrinkage in aged people who experience some of caveat signs of Alzheimer’s disease. One of the symptoms of mild cognitive impairment is shrinking of the brain that frequently escort to dementia.
The condition is manifested by mild memory lapses and problem with language that is beyond what can be explicated by normal ageing and can be forerunner to Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. This discovery could be the initial step towards finding new ways to delay the onset of the condition.
In a study researchers observed one hundred and sixty-eight aged people who experiencing mental decline called mild cognitive impairment. Among those half were provided with daily pill containing B vitamin foliate, B6 and B12 well beyond the suggested daily amount. Other were provided dummy pill. The rate at which their brain had shrunk was measured after two years.
It was found that after the age of sixty the average of the brain shrinkage was 0.5 percent a year. But those suffering mild cognitive impairment, their brain shrink twice as fast. Brian shrinkage of Alzheimer’s patients was 2.5 percent a year.
But those taking vitamin supplement their brain shrinkage slowed by thirty percent found team from the Oxford Project to investigate Memory and Ageing. Many B vitamins, vitamin B6 and B12 manage levels of matter called homocysteine in the blood. Higher level of homocysteine in the blood is linked to quicker shrinkage of the brain and Alzheimer’s disease.
It is believed that it was the B vitamins effect on levels of homocysteine that slow the rate of brain shrinkage. These vitamins are doing something to the brain structure. They are protecting it, and are very important as you need to protect the brain to prevent Alzheimer’s, said study author Professor David Smith.
These are very significant fallouts, with B vitamins now viewing a prospect of defending some people from Alzheimer’s in old age, said chief executive Rebecca Wood from The Alzheimer’s Research Trust. B vitamins are found naturally in many foods, including meat, fish, eggs and green vegetables.