Vitamin B may slow affects of Alzheimer's disease, study suggests

Results of a new study show promising effects of vitamin B in reducing the adverse affects aging has on the brain. According to Bloomberg.com, the vitamin slowed the rate at which the brain shrank in elderly people with memory-related problems.


The news source reports that the study, which was conducted Oxford University, found that vitamin B6 and B12 as well as folic acid reduced the appearance of an amino acid that is associated with brain damage similar to Alzheimer's disease.


Scientists focused on 168 patients over the age of 70 with memory problems.

Half of the subjects took a vitamin B supplement for a year, while the rest were given a placebo. Those who took the supplement had a smaller rate of brain shrinkage by the end of the observation. Although the results are promising, the researchers said that they need to conduct more studies.


Any advancement in the fight against Alzheimer's disease may be increasingly important in the near future, as the number of older adults with the mental illness is expected to rise significantly. According to Psychology Today, recent estimates indicate that by the year 2020, there will be a 27 percent increase in the number of people who have the disease, compared to today.


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