Posted on 05/24/2013 11:03:22 PM PDT by neverdem
UK researchers have found that high doses B-vitamins – including folic acid, vitamin B12 and vitamin B6 – can slow down brain tissue atrophy, a wasting process associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
David Smith of the University of Oxford, and colleagues, used randomised controlled trials to test the long-term effects of B-vitamins on the brain health of elderly people with mild cognitive impairment, who were classed as having an increased risk of dementia. They found the brains of those treated with B-vitamins shrank less over a two year period than those given a placebo, and experienced less atrophy in regions of grey matter especially vulnerable to Alzheimer’s.
They also showed that the supplements effectively reduced blood concentrations of homocysteine, high levels of which have been linked to Alzheimer’s and cognitive impairment.
The work suggests addressing non-genetic aspects of Alzheimer’s may identify better treatment options. Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia, with over 25 million sufferers worldwide. Several potential treatments have failed in recent clinical trials.
G Douaud et al, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., USA, 2013, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1301816110
If I’m not mistaken, too much B6 can contribute to neuropathy, and some prefer folate to folic acid. Do the research.
up to 40% of cases judged to be alzheimers/dementia are really b vitamin deficiencies. they gave these people b vita,ins and saw great improvement.
Folate is just a salt of folic acid, so if it's sodium folate, that makes sense.
Toxic neuropathy. excerpt;
Cisplatin and high-dose pyridoxine are used more frequently to produce robust models of peripheral neuropathy in animals. Statins do appear to cause peripheral neuropathy.I tnink I'd rather risk a peripheral neuropathy than a central one like Alzheimer’s.
Thanks for the links.
Ping
Bfl
Did not do a damn thing for my mom. Even when she was in Alzheimers pop had her take b-vitamins. Nothing Latest fad to push sales at walgreens....
My wife temporarily experienced that from too much B-6. Too much or too little - both result in problems.
Vitamin B-Ready might produce four hour erections...But then again, it might not.
I think B12 is the widely unrecognized hero regarding nerve health. Poor diet, malabsorption, vegetarian diets can contribute to losses in B12. I also read that magnesium helps to facilitate B12 supplementation.
>> I tnink I’d rather risk a peripheral neuropathy than a central one like Alzheimer’s.
Agreed.
bkmk
I would love to see a study done on whether those who physically and routinely exercise get Alzheimer’s versus those who do not.
I'm sorry for your loss, but was the diagnosis confirmed by an autopsy. The last I read, the only way that diagnosis is confirmed is by an autopsy or an accidental biopsy secondary to severe, penetrating head trauma. Alzheimer's disease is not the only dementia. They need to see extracellular beta amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles inside the nerve cells with a specimen under a microscope, IIRC. There are other signs and symptoms that suggest Alzheimer’s disease, but you need that specimen to confirm it.
Preventing Alzheimer’s disease-related gray matter atrophy by B-vitamin treatment excerpt:
Here, we go further by demonstrating that B-vitamin treatment reduces, by as much as seven fold, the cerebral atrophy in those gray matter (GM) regions specifically vulnerable to the AD process, including the medial temporal lobe.
In some people genetics seems to come into play. Regardless, exercise is good for its own sake. It has many benefits
NIH-funded research provides new clues on how ApoE4 affects Alzheimer's risk
if you are talking about lowering homocysteine, how about betaine?? works better than the b vitamins.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.