Vitamin B12 link to Alzheimer's backed by study

Evidence is mounting that levels of vitamin B12 may be connected to the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

A study of 271 Finns found those with the highest levels were the least likely to be diagnosed with dementia.

However, an Alzheimer's charity said despite the findings, published in the journal Neurology, it was "too early" to think about taking supplements.

It called for more research into the protective power of vitamins such as B12 - found in meat, fish and eggs.

I’ll just repeat here what others have said and say I believe the B vitamins seem to help with my mood, energy, and it also seems to help me think a little more clearly. I don’t like pills so I buy a powder that you add into a glass of water called Emergen-C. You can get that at Walmart. I’ll look at the sublingual B12 though when it gets time for a refill. Thanks to all for the information.

However, it should be brought out (and perhaps the article does this), the problem with B12 and older people is that the vitamin is absorbed in the stomach. But, many older people lose the intrinsic factor necessary for absorption. Therefore, a person can swallow as much B12 as they wish and still not get the vitamin into their system.

It's not absorbed by the stomach. B12 in the form of cobalamin first forms a complex with R binding protein in the stomach. Intrinsic factor is also released from the stomach. "As this protein is digested in the small intestine, cobalamin is transferred to intrinsic factor(IF). This complex passes through the intestine until it reaches specific receptors on the mucosa of the distal ileum." (Thats's the part of the small intestine right before you reach the large intestine, aka colon.) Italics are mine, ditto typos. That's part of the caption for Figure 107-2, P. 676, Harrison's Internal Medicine, 15th Edition copyright 2001. R binding protein is new to me too. Thanks for the opportunity to update my knowledge.

A dementia work up has included blood tests for syphilis, folate(the ionized form folic acid) and vitamin B12 for well over a decade, maybe two decades. They didn't say how they nailed the dementia as Alzheimer's. There's more than one, Pick's disease and vascular come to mind. You can have the neurologic symptons long before it shows up as pernicious anemia, IIRC.

Homocysteine and holotranscobalamin and the risk of Alzheimer disease

On orders from my Oncologist, I take B-12 to help with my Leukemia caused Anemia. Also take Folic Acid.

Not sure how much it helps. My numbers are low, but they have remained consistent since I started the regimen.

My 87 Year Old Father gets two B-12 shots every month. He goes dancing four times a week, so I guess it works for him.

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