Studies Look at Complex, Undetermined Relationships Between Nutrients, Dementia

Several studies say B12 and other nutrients may or may not have relationships to Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia, reports the Reading Eagle . BioLogic Nutrition owner Freya Oostingh suggests an indirect relationship between B12 and Alzheimer's "because of the role B12 plays in lowering homocysteine levels in the brain, which has a direct correlation to brain impairment." However, both Oostingh and Nature's Garden co-owner Cindy Boyer concur that B12 is not necessarily the best or only nutrient in preventing dementia. "Gingko biloba is an herb that's helpful in aiding with memory loss, and there are plenty of clinical trials that show that," Boyer says. "Curcumin (extracted from turmeric) also helps protect against age-related brain damage, because it promotes the elongation of the telomeres." Studies by the National Institutes of Health have demonstrated that curcumin may help protect telomeres, although the research is ongoing. Oostingh cites studies showing that B12, in combination with B6 and folic acid, work well at reducing homocysteine levels in the brain. An Oxford University analysis revealed that high doses of folic acid and B6 and B12 reduced brain shrinkage by 30 percent to 53 percent by lowering homocysteine.