Vitamin B12 Reduces the Risk for Alzheimer’s Disease

This Finnish study followed 271 elderly individuals (ages 65 – 79) for 7 years.  The participants were dementia-free at the start of the study.  As the level of B12 went up¹ in the blood the risk for developing Alzheimer’s went down.

The researchers also measured homocysteine It is a homologue of the amino acid cysteine that is synthesized from methionine An essential amino acid which serves as a methyl donor and is involved with the biosynthesis of other nutrients. Improper conversion is associated with production of homocysteine and atherosclerosis. which requires adequate Folic Acid, B12, and B6 to function properly. Elevated levels have been associated with heart disease, thrombosis, strokes, Alzheimer's disease, and other disorders., a potentially toxic metabolite that required B12 to help naturally clear it from the body.  Once again, as homocysteine It is a homologue of the amino acid cysteine that is synthesized from methionine An essential amino acid which serves as a methyl donor and is involved with the biosynthesis of other nutrients. Improper conversion is associated with production of homocysteine and atherosclerosis. which requires adequate Folic Acid, B12, and B6 to function properly. Elevated levels have been associated with heart disease, thrombosis, strokes, Alzheimer's disease, and other disorders. levels went up so did the risk for Alzheimer’s.  In this study blood levels of folic acid were not associated with the homocysteine It is a homologue of the amino acid cysteine that is synthesized from methionine An essential amino acid which serves as a methyl donor and is involved with the biosynthesis of other nutrients. Improper conversion is associated with production of homocysteine and atherosclerosis. which requires adequate Folic Acid, B12, and B6 to function properly. Elevated levels have been associated with heart disease, thrombosis, strokes, Alzheimer's disease, and other disorders. or the risk of Alzheimer’s –whereas B12 seemed to be the key.

Vitamin B12 is commonly deficient in elderly individuals, another good reason why all elderly individuals should be on a high-quality multiple vitamin or B complex that contains the active form of B12 known as methylcobalamin.