A new study by researchers in New Zealand shows that people taking a regular dose of B vitamins were no less likely to stave off dementia than anybody else. The results of the study were published in the most recent edition of the 'New England Journal of Medicine.'
Previous studies indicated that B vitamins and Folate help lower the level of homocysteine in the blood stream. Homocysteine makes arteries clog and stiffen and can lead to dementia and Alzheimer's disease as well as heart disease.
It was unclear if giving doses of B vitamins and lowering homcysteine levels would have any affect on dementia.
Researchers at the University of Otago in New Zealand examined 276 healthy people age 65 and over during a two-year period. Half of the volunteers were given 1,000 micrograms of Folate, 500 micrograms of B-12 and 10 milligrams of B-6 each day via vitamin supplements. The other half received placebos.
Homocysteine levels did fall in the volunteers given the supplements but researchers did not see any difference in cognitive function between those given the B vitamins and those taking the placebos.
A longer term study is needed to see if B vitamin supplements would have a dramatic effect over the course of a lifetime. These studies are underway but will take years to complete.
