B Vitamins Slow Memory Loss

Daily supplements of B vitamins slow the decline in mental function in people with mild cognitive impairment, says a new clinical trial. A daily combination of folic acid and vitamins B6 and B12 was associated with a 30 percent reduction in levels of the amino acid homocysteine and improvements in a range of mental tests.

"One interpretation of the data is that lowing homocysteine concentrations by administering B vitamins slows brain atrophy, which in turn slows both cognitive and clinical decline," wrote researchers from the University of Oxford and the Unviersity of Oslo. "Such an interpretation is consistent with several studies showing that whole brain atrophy rate is strongly correlated with decline in various cognitive measures. Wasting in the brain, or atrophy, is a common symptom of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and can be an early warning to signs of dementia. One important factor determining the rate of atrophy appears to be raised concentations of the amino acid homocysteine. Previously, epidemiological studies have reported that high levels of homocyseine are associated with suspected or confirmed dementia. The farmingham study reported that people with homocysteine levels above 14 micromoles per liter of serum had twice the risk of dementia. Tissue and plasma concentrations of homocysteine are know to be determined by viamin B levels, as they are cofactors for enzymes involved in homocysteine metabolism. The new study investigated the links between vitamin B supplementation, homocysteine levels and cognitive function. The Vitacog study involved 266 people over the age of 70 with diagnosed mild cognitive impairment. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either a placebo or a B vitamin supplement providing 0.8 mg per day of folic acid, 0.5 mg of vitamin B12 and 20 mg of vitamin B6 for two years. At the end of the study the researchers report that homocysteine levels decreased by an average of 30 percent in the B vitamin group compared with the placebo. In addition, executive mental function was stablized in the B vitamin group compared with the placebo. When the Oxford and Oslo based scientist looked specifically at people with high homocysteine levels (greater than 11.3 micromoles per liter) they found that vitamin B supplementation was associated with significant improvements in global cognition, episodic memory and semantic memory.

Advanced Cancers Linked to Low Vitamin D3 Levels

More than three-quarters of people with a variety of cancers have low levels of vitamin D3, and the lowest levels are associated with more advanced cancers, a new study suggests. High dose supplements increased vitamin D3 levels to normal.

The best way to get the right level of vitamin D3 is through exposure to sunlight. Make sure that you spend plenty of time out in the sun. The next best way to maintain proper vitamin D3 levels is to take vitamin D3 supplements which are very inexpensive. You can also get some vitamin D3 from foods such as fatty fish, milk and fortified cereals. Research in the laboratory suggests that vitamin D3 has anti-tumor properties, regulating genes involved in the multiplication and spread of cancer cells. For the study, the researchers collected blood samples from 160 men and women with cancer and measured their levels of vitamin D3. The most common diagnoses were breast, prostate, lung, thyroid, and colorectal cancers.