Vitamins Again

Not doubt you heard on the news on the 9 September that high dose vitamin B tablets could reduce the incidence of dementia and Alzheimer’s by 50%- this also comes on the recent news that Vitamin D is involved in many ‘gene expressions’ and could reduce the risk of many diseases.  I have been recommending now for many years at least a high dose vitamin/mineral tablet as a baseline for helping to protect your health. Why? Because these days food often lacks the nutrients it once had for a variety of reasons and don’t be fooled by RDA amounts on food. These are barely enough to do much at all which is why research on the benefits of vitamin/mineral supplementation has been confusing- you need the right dose!  By the way as always, there are many ways to protect your brain. Vitamin B is important for the way your nervous system functions but so are the good fats- the omega fats and indeed high dose anti-oxidants should also help as they mop up free radicals that can cause damage. Finally, remember to take plenty of exercise which is protective of numerous diseases and boosts your energy!

More recently on the importance of  Vitamin B for your brain. Researchers at Oxford University suggest that taking one high dose vitamin B a day from middle age could protect your memory and ward off Alzheimer’s. They found that the brain shrinkage associated with ageing and dementia was reduced from 30-50%. The effect was especially marked in those individuals with a high level of homocysteine, a by product we produce which has been linked to a variety of health concerns.

Updated, 5 October 2011

Kevin- September