B Vitamins for Brain Health

Question: Are B vitamins good for brain health?

Dr. Brownstein's Answer:

A recent study shows that B vitamins slow brain atrophy.

In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 271 elderly people (over 70 years of age) with mild cognitive impairment were given daily supplements of 0.8 mg of folic acid, 0.5 mg of vitamin B12, and 20 mg of vitamin B6. After 24 months, this group was compared to a matched group of subjects receiving a placebo.

The patients treated with B vitamins were found to have a reduced mean rate of brain atrophy per year (0.76 percent compared to subjects receiving placebo (1.08 percent). The B-vitamin-treated subjects with the highest baseline homocysteine levels were found to have a 53 percent lower rate of brain atrophy, according to a study reported in PLoS One (issue number 5, 2010), a journal of the Public Library of Science.

This study showed that elderly patients with high homocysteine levels responded positively to supplementation with vitamins B6 and B12, and folic acid. Homocysteine is an amino acid found in the blood. Previous studies have shown a relationship between high homocysteine levels and the development of heart disease, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease.

Homocysteine levels should be checked on a yearly basis. If levels are high, checking B-vitamin levels as well as supplementing with the appropriate B vitamins may be indicated.