A recent study suggests that high doses of vitamin B can halve the rate of brain shrinkage in older people experiencing some symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.

Brain shrinkage is one of the symptoms of mild cognitive impairment, which often leads to dementia.

The researchers believe that this could be the first step to finding a way to delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.

Vitamin B SupplementsExperts said the findings were important, however more research is warranted.

The study, published in the journal Public Library of Science One, looked at 168 older adults experiencing mental impairment levels known as mild cognitive impairment.
This condition, characterized by memory lapses and problems with language, is beyond what can be explained by normal aging and has been seen as a precursor to Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.
Half the volunteers received one tablet daily with levels of vitamin B folic acid, B6 and B12, well above the recommended daily amount. The other half received a placebo.

After two years, the rate at which his brain had been reduced was measured.

The brain shrinks at an average rate of 0.5% a year after the age of 60 years. The brains of people with mild cognitive impairment shrink twice as quickly. Alzheimer’s patients have brain shrinkage of 2.5% per year.

The team from the Oxford Project to investigate the Memory and Ageing (Optima), found that on average, in taking vitamin supplements, brain shrinkage was decreased by 30%.
In some cases reduced by more than 50%, so that your brain atrophy is not worse than those without cognitive impairment.
Vitamin B12Certain B vitamins – folic acid, vitamin B6 and B12 – control levels of a substance known as homocysteine in the blood. High levels of homocysteine are associated with faster brain shrinkage and Alzheimer’s disease.

The study’s authors believe that was the effect of vitamin B “in homocysteine levels that helped reduce the rate of brain shrinkage.

Study author, Professor David Smith, said the results were more significant than expected.

“It’s a bigger effect than anyone could have expected,” he said, “and tells us something biological.

“These vitamins are doing something to the structure of the brain – they are protecting, and that is very important because we must protect the brain to prevent Alzheimer’s.”

He said more research was needed now to see if high doses of B vitamins actually prevented the development of Alzheimer’s disease in people with mild cognitive impairment.

The Alzheimer’s Research Trust, which co-funded the study, also called for more research.

“These are very significant results, with vitamins B begins to show a perspective of the protection of some Alzheimer’s disease in old age,” said CEO Rebecca Wood.

“The findings should inspire strong extended trial to follow people expected to develop Alzheimer’s disease.”

Folic AcidB vitamins are found naturally in many foods, including meat, fish, eggs and green vegetables.

Chris Kennard, chairman of Neuroscience and Medical Research Council Mental Health Board, said: “We must be cautious about recommending supplements such as vitamin B, as there are separate health risks if taken in doses too high.

“More research is needed before recommending the supplement as a treatment for neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.”

UK Food Standards Agency says take more than 200 milligrams of vitamin B6 can lead to a loss of sensation in the arms and legs, but these symptoms are reversible once someone stops taking the supplements.

He adds that taking 2 mg or less of vitamin B12 per day is unlikely to cause harm, but there is not enough evidence to know what the effects would be of  taking more than that.

Taking too much folic acid – over 1mg a day – can mask signs of vitamin B12 deficiency. An early symptom of B12 deficiency is anaemia, but taking large amounts of folic acid treats the anaemia without treating the B12 deficiency.