Vitamin B has already been linked to Alzheimer’s, but new evidence shows that vitamin B-12, specifically, may help to fend off the disease. In a recent study of 271 people published in the Neurology journal, those with the highest levels of B-12 were the least likely to have dementia, the BBC reports. Even so, one Alzheimer’s charity says it’s “too early” to recommend taking supplements of B-12, which is found in meat, fish, eggs, and milk.
B-12 may protect against Alzheimer’s by lowering levels of a body chemical called homocysteine, which is associated with strokes and dementia. Another recent trial also found a link between high levels of B-12 and lower risk for dementia. For one researcher, that’s enough proof that a “large scale trial with homocysteine-lowering therapy using B vitamins” is warranted, “to see whether such a simple treatment may slow the development of Alzheimer's or other dementia.” For more Alzheimer's research, click here.
(More Alzheimer's disease stories.)