Vitamin B helps fight Alzheimer’s--study

Researchers found significant evidence that high doses of Vitamin B helps to slow brain shrinkage in adults who may be in the early stages of the disease.

High levels of amino acid called homocysteine are associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s.

Experts theorize that supplements of the B vitamins that control homocysteine could slow the diminishing brain power of those suffering from mild cognitive impairment.

Co-author of the study, Professor David Smith of the Department of Pharmacology, Oxford University stated, “It’s a bigger effect than anyone could have predicted and it’s telling us something biological.

“These vitamins are doing something to the brain structure – they’re protecting it, and that’s very important because we need to protect the brain to prevent Alzheimer’s.”

Details of the study
In a bid to assess the impact of vitamin B on mild cognitive impairment (MCI), the researchers enrolled 168 volunteers over the age of 70 years suffering from the ailment.

The participants were split into two groups. Over a period of two years, half were given a daily pill called "TrioBe PPLus" containing 300 times the recommended daily dose of B12, four times daily recommended amount of folate and 15 times the recommended dose of B6.

The rest received a placebo tablet with no active ingredients.

Participants' brains were scanned with the help of an advanced MRI technique at the beginning and the end of the trial to monitor the brain shrinkage.

It was noted that on average the brain shrinkage in patients who took the B-vitamins was 0.76 percent a year compared to 1.08 percent for those who took the placebo.

Another interesting aspect of the study was that participants who had the highest levels of amino acid benefited the most from high doses of B vitamins.

A word of caution
The researchers warned that since the study used mega-dosages of B vitamins, they were classified as drugs and not dietary supplements.

High doses of B vitamins can be risky.

Smith stated, “It is our hope that this simple and safe treatment will delay the development of Alzheimer’s disease in many people who suffer from mild memory problems.

"Today there are about 1.5 million elderly in UK, 5 million in USA and 14 million in Europe with such memory problems.

“These are immensely promising results but we do need to do more trials to conclude whether these particular B vitamins can slow or prevent development of Alzheimer’s.

"So I wouldn’t yet recommend that anyone getting a bit older and beginning to be worried about memory lapses should rush out and buy vitamin B supplements without seeing a doctor.”

The findings are published today in the journal 'PLoS ONE.'

Symptoms of Alzheimer's
Alzheimer's is a degenerative disease of the brain which affects the efficiency of the person’s nervous system adversely.

Although the symptoms of Alzheimer’s affect different people in different ways, the most common sign is short-term memory loss.

Over the time, the disease assumes alarming proportions. A patient starts forgetting faces, how to get to a familiar place, misplaces objects, repeat things, and becomes agitated and suspicious.

If the disease is detected early, consultations with a psychiatrist, a neurologist or geriatric specialist can lead to effective management of the condition.

However, without timely medical intervention the brain becomes weaker and starts shrinking.

As the disease advances, the memory lapses become more pronounced and the dementia begins to affect the thinking, judgment, communication, and emotional stability of the patient making him completely dependent on others to carry out their daily work.