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Research over the past few years has increasingly shown the importance of B vitamins in maintaining a host of physical functions. A September 2008 study in the journal Neurology adds to the evidence. It finds that older individuals with low levels of vitamin B12 seem to be at increased risk of having brain atrophy or shrinkage, which is associated with Alzheimer's disease and impaired cognitive function.
In the study, 107 people between age 61 and 87 underwent brain scans, memory testing, physical exams, and blood sampling to check vitamin B12 levels. Brain scans and memory tests were performed again five years later.
The study found that people who had higher vitamin B12 levels were six times less likely to experience brain shrinkage compared with those who had lower levels of the vitamin in their blood.
“Many factors that affect brain health are thought to be out of our control, but this study suggests that simply adjusting our diets to consume more vitamin B12 may be something we can easily do to prevent brain shrinkage and so perhaps save our memory,” said study author Anna Vogiatzoglou, MSc, with the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.
Vitamin B12 deficiency is fairly common among older adults, the authors state. Be sure you’re getting enough in your diet. The best sources of B12 are meat, fish, fortified cereals, and milk. And ask your doctor if you should have your B12 levels checked at your next blood test.
Sources: Neurology; American Academy of Neurology; National Library of Medicine 47046
10/08
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