Claims vitamin B prevents Alzheimer's are unproven

Conclusion This two-year long randomised controlled trial found that B vitamin treatment significantly reduces loss of grey matter in certain regions of the brain in elderly volunteers with mild cognitive impairment. The researchers report that these regions are specifically vulnerable to Alzheimer’s disease. B vitamin treatment was beneficial for the subgroup of participants who had higher than average levels of an amino acid called homocysteine. This research clearly shows that grey matter loss in certain regions of the brain was reduced with B vitamin treatment. This follows on from the researchers’ previous findings that B vitamin treatment slows brain shrinkage. However, it is less clear whether the reduction in grey matter actually had any real health impact on individual people. Although the researchers report that loss of grey matter was linked to declining neuropsychological scores, they do not specifically report that participants who received the B vitamins improved their brain function scores. Whether the B vitamin treatment actually prevented Alzheimer’s disease is also unknown. B vitamins are a recurring focus of Alzheimer’s disease research, and they have been studied in both the prevention and treatment of the disease. This may partly be because vitamin B deficiency can have an effect on brain function. For more background information about vitamin B, Alzheimer’s, and how it has been reported in the news, read the Behind the Headlines special report...
Source: NHS News Feed - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Neurology Older people Source Type: news