New research published in the September 9, 2008 issue of Neurology suggests the older adults with low levels of vitamin B12 have an increased risk of brain atrophy, or shrinkage.

New research published in the September 9, 2008 issue of Neurology suggests the older adults with low levels of vitamin B12 have an increased risk of brain atrophy, or shrinkage .

Atrophy of the brain is associated with cognitive impairment and Alzheimer disease. Researchers from the United Kingdom studied 107 community-dwelling volunteers with normal cognitive function between the ages of 61 and 87 in order to evaluate the relationship between vitamin B12 and the size of the brain. The volunteers underwent yearly brain MRI scans, memory tests, and physical exams for 5 years. The researchers found that individuals with lower vitamin B12 levels at the beginning of the study had a bigger decrease in brain volume than those with higher vitamin B12 levels. Interestingly, all of the volunteers had vitamin B12 levels that were within the normal range. However, this difference between high-normal and low-normal suggests that current dietary recommendations might need to be re-evaluated.

Vitamin B12 is found in meat, fish, milk, eggs, and fortified cereals. Unfortunately, Vitamin B12 deficiency is a common problem among older people. The researchers emphasized that, while lower levels of vitamin B12 do not necessarily cause brain atrophy, maintaining a healthy level of vitamin B12 may help to reduce the risk of Alzheimer disease.

Source

Neurology. 2008;71:826-832.

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