Most of us usually come across many health problems like memory loss, bad eye sight, hearing loss in old age.
But, these days because of our lifestyle changes and food habits, the onset of these suffering is observed in the early stages of life.
The Causes
Do you actually realize what would be the cause for this abnormality in this daily routine? Surely, some of it can be attributed to nutrient deficiencies. One such nutrient deficiency cause has been noticed and studied by researchers with regards to memory loss and brain shrinkage.
The researchers in the Oxford Project to Investigate Memory and to age found that Vitamin B12 benefits may be linked to brain shrinkage and thereby cognitive loss.
Vitamin B12 sources are meat, fish and milk, may protect against brain volume loss in older people.
Know more about Vitamin B12, its benefits and sources.
A study conducted by researchers at Rush University Medical Center was published in the medical journal of American Academy of neurology.
According to researchers at Rush University Medical Center, Older people with low blood levels of vitamin B12 markers, may be more likely to have lower brain volumes and have problems with their thinking skills.
This study took 121 geriatric residents of Chicago as subjects and drawn blood sample to check the Symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency markers in the blood. These subjects also took tests to measure their cognitive skills and their memory level.
MRI scans of the participants’ brains were taken to measure total brain volume and look for other signs of brain damage.
Researchers observed that people having high levels of vitamin B12 deficiency markers in their blood had low scores in cognitive tests and smaller brain volume.
Research conclusions
“Our findings deserve further examination,” said Christine C. Tangney, Ph.D., associate professor in the department of clinical nutrition at Rush University Medical Centre and lead author of the study.
But, some findings from a British trial with vitamin B 12 Supplements are also supportive to the present study outcomes.
“Our findings lend support for the contention that poor vitamin B12 status is a potential risk factor for brain atrophy and may contribute to cognitive impairment,” said Tangney.
Other researchers at Rush involved in the study were Dr. Neelum T. Aggarwal, Hong Li, Robert S. Wilson, Ph.D., Dr. Denis Evans and Martha Clare Morris, ScD.
The study was supported by the National Institute on Aging
Hence, I hope we should realize the importance of Vitamin B12 in neural health and should see to replenish the deficient amounts either by food or supplements.
