Results of a study conducted at Oxford University have shown that taking vitamin B supplements could potentially delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. It was found that people in the early stages of failing memory can retain more of their mental faculties for longer if they take B vitamin supplements on a regular basis. Some participants in the trial found that their neurological decline reduced by as much as 50 percent after using B vitamins.
The study involved 271 people with mild cognitive impairment who either took a high dose folic acid, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 supplement or a placebo for a duration of two years. Folic acid, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 were chosen because they control the amounts of an amino acid called homocysteine in the blood. High levels of homocysteine have been linked to a greater risk of Alzheimer's. After two years participants' brains were examined using MRI scanners and their mental faculties assessed using tests of cognition. They found that those who had been receiving the supplements had experienced on average 30% less brain atrophy than those receiving the placebo. Those who started the trial with the highest levels of homocysteine experienced the greatest benefit with 50% less brain shrinkage.
Reference: Smith, A.D., Smith, S.M., and Jager, C.A. et al (2010), ‘Homocysteine-Lowering by B vitamins slows the rate of accelerated brain atrophy in mild cognitive impairment: A randomised controlled trial’ In PLoS hub for Clinical Trials.
http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0012244
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