As we get older the concept of brain shrinkage can be a very troubling thought. Dementia is one of the most feared conditions of old age – there can be nothing worse than losing your mental faculties and memories. But now it seems that there may be good news as research has brought to light the concept that B-complex vitamins could slow the progression of the disease and reduce brain shrinkage too.
A two-year clinical trial was conducted and revealed some impressive results. It revealed that B vitamins including B6, B12 and folic acid are effective at slowing down mild cognitive impairment, which in itself is a major risk factor for the development of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.
Researchers added the patients who already suffer from the disconcerting effects of dementia and test for good levels of homocysteine are likely to get a lot of benefit from increased doses of the B vitamins. Homocysteine is an amino acid found in the blood, and high levels are linked to an increase risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
It was also noted that injections of the B vitamins were more effective than orally ingested pills. While the study doesn’t suggest that we can simply avoid dementia through taking extra B vitamins, it does suggest that maintaining the right levels could slow down progression of the disease and put you at a lower risk factor of developing it in the first place.
Around 50 percent of people diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment go on to develop Alzheimer’s disease within five years. If they can be treated with high doses of these B vitamins during that time there is a chance that Alzheimer’s could be avoided or at the least the onset could be delayed.
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