Vitamin B12 link to Alzheimer's backed by study (BBC)

Evidence is mounting that levels of vitamin B12 may be connected to the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

A study of 271 Finns found those with the highest levels were the least likely to be diagnosed with dementia.

However, an Alzheimer's charity said despite the findings, published in the journal Neurology, it was "too early" to think about taking supplements.
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Alzheimer's has been linked to B vitamins for some years, and scientists know that higher levels of a body chemical called homocysteine can raise the risk of both strokes and dementia.

Homocysteine levels can be lowered by increasing the amount of vitamin B12 in the blood.

A recent trial found that "brain shrinkage", which has been associated with Alzheimer's, was slowed in older people taking high doses of vitamins, including B12.
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more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11569602

Time for the FDA to increase the Recommended Daily Value of B12.

:sarcasm:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_B12

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Side effects, contraindications, and warnings

* Vitamin B12 has extremely low toxicity and even taking it in enormous doses appears not to be harmful to healthy individuals.<43><44>
* Hematologic: Peripheral vascular thrombosis has been reported. Treatment of vitamin B12 deficiency can unmask polycythemia vera, which is characterized by an increase in blood volume and the number of red blood cells. The correction of megaloblastic anemia with vitamin B12 can result in fatal hypokalemia and gout in susceptible individuals, and it can obscure folate deficiency in megaloblastic anemia. Caution is warranted.
* Leber's disease: Vitamin B12 in the form of cyanocobalamin is contraindicated in early Leber's disease, which is hereditary optic nerve atrophy. Cyanocobalamin can cause severe and swift optic atrophy, but other forms of vitamin B12 are available. However, the sources of this statement are not clear, while an opposing view<45> concludes: "The clinical picture of optic neuropathy associated with vitamin B12 deficiency shows similarity to that of Leber's disease optic neuropathy. Both involve the nerve fibres of the papillomacular bundle. The present case reports suggest that optic neuropathy in patients carrying a primary LHON mtDNA mutation may be precipitated by vitamin B12 deficiency. Therefore, known carriers should take care to have an adequate dietary intake of vitamin B12 and malabsorption syndromes like those occurring in familial pernicious anaemia or after gastric surgery should be excluded."

I don't really see why upping the B12 RDA is a bad idea.

http://www.swansonvitamins.com/health-library/articles/memory-brain-support/b-vitamins-may-help-reduce-alzheimers-risk-in-long-run.html?SoureCode=INTHIR382

The recent study followed 168 participants over two years. Participants were randomly assigned to two groups of equal size. The first group was treated with a European drug called TrioBe Plus®, a combination of folic acid and vitamins B-6 and B-12 . The second group received a placebo. Researchers found that those taking the vitamin combo had on average 29.6% less brain shrinkage. The B-vitamin treatment also reduced homocysteine by 22.5%.

The authors concluded that "The accelerated rate of brain atrophy in elderly people with mild cognitive impairment can be slowed by treatment with homocysteine-lowering B vitamins. Sixteen percent of those over 70 years old have mild cognitive impairment and half of these develop Alzheimer’s disease. Since accelerated brain atrophy is a characteristic of subjects with mild cognitive impairment who convert to Alzheimer’s disease, trials are needed to see if the same treatment will delay the development of Alzheimer’s disease."

I wonder what the long-term effects of the increased popularity of energy drinks like Red Bull and Monster will have over time, as they are really just mega-doses of B vitamins in a can.

;)