B12 Levels Predict a Healthier Brain

A study that analyzed the vitamin B12¹ levels in elderly individuals, age 61-87, found that higher B12 levels were associated with more normal brain size. On the other hand, those with the lowest levels of B12 had the most brain atrophy and were six times more likely to have a problem. 

The study does not talk about B12 deficiency from the point of view of government standards or daily values; people with the lowest B12 levels in this study were not actually deficient according to these standards. However, if one’s brain is shrinking due to a “low-normal” level of a vitamin, then most people would consider that a rather flagrant deficiency of a nutrient.

While supplements were not directly tested in this study to see whether or not they could prevent or reverse the problem, the data suggests that taking B12 is a really good idea for brain health. 

Vitamin B12 is vital to nerve function, as determined by hundreds of studies. Of course, I recommend supplementation with the co-enzyme forms of B12 such as methylcobalamin. Never use the cyanide-producing form known as cyanocobalamin, which is found in many dietary supplements.