Vitamin B12- also known as Cobalamin because it contains a trace element called Cobalt- is a mineral bound to protein that is only found in animal produced foods and fortified cereals. The human body doesn't produce its own Vitamin B12 and so including B12 sufficient foods in your diet is crucial for the body to produce DNA, red blood corpuscles and for the body's regular growth- but those three functions aren't the reason why medical experts and nutritionists have had their eye on Cobalamin for a while.
Modern medical researchers and nutritionists upon realizing the value of the function of Cobalamin, have commonly been asking for years whether there really is a cure for poor memory and the often experienced, “forgetful moments" lying concealed within vitamin B12. Is the key to improving memory in vitamin B12?
*importance of a good memory*
Research concerning this dates back to as early as 1983, where a group of scientist including J.S Goodwin discovered through an experiment that, people with low levels of B12 and Folate in their systems had memory deficits, and did significantly worse on a test called the Wechsler memory scale (a test discovered by Wechsler, designed to measure different memory functions in the brain) than members who had normal levels of both Folate and B12.
Researchers believe this revolves around the fact that Vitamin B12 plays an important role in maintaining the normal functions of the brain as well as the nervous system, but this vitamin doesn’t work alone. B12 with Folic Acid (B-9) works together to maintain brain function and furthermore, this combination has been believed to increase cognitive function (Adrianne Bendich, 2010), both have been looked at as a medium for reducing symptoms of Alzh...
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Haney, Rose. 2007. What Are the Health Benefits of Vitamin B12 Drops? SFGate (Online). Available: http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/health-benefits-vitamin-b12-drops-7663.html. 08/03/2014
Kresser, Chris. May 2011, B12 Deficiency: A Silent Epidemic with Serious Consequences. Chris Kresser (Online). Available: http://chriskresser.com/b12-deficiency-a-silent-epidemic-with-serious-consequences. 09/03/2014
Park, Alice. Sept 2011. Low Vitamin B12 Linked to Smaller Brains and Cognitive Decline. Time Health and Family (Online) Available: http://healthland.time.com/2011/09/26/low-vitamin-b12-linked-to-smaller-brains-and-cognitive-decline/ 07/03/2014
Tarkan, Laurie. Sept 2011. Study Finds Vitamin B12 May Prevent Memory Loss. Fox News (Online) Available: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/09/23/study-finds-vitamin-b12-may-prevent-memory-loss/ 08/09/2014
Vitamin B12 is commonly obtained in the diet through consumption of meat, nuts, eggs, milk, shellfish, and green leafy vegetables (j). B12 has a large complex structure based around a corrin ring, which resembles porphyrin with a cobalt ion at the center (l). For this reason compounds with vitamin B12 activity are called cobalamin (k). Cyanocobalamin is the form typically found in fortified foods, which is converted in the body to the active forms methylcobalamin and 5-deoxyadenosylcobalamin (k).
Brownstein, Joseph. “Some common vitamin supplements could increase death risk, study finds.” 10 October 2011. Vitals on mnsbc.com. Web. 11 January 2012. http://vitals.msnbc.msn.com/_news
Vitamin B12 deficiency limits selenium methylation and excretion resulting in higher tissue selenium levels and subsequent toxicity. It occurs in people whose digestive systems do not adequately absorb the vitamin from the foods they eat. Vegetarians who eat eggs and milk products are the most at risk because, on average, they consume less than half the adult vitamin B12 Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) while strict vegans (who don't eat any animal products, including meat, eggs, or milk) are at an even greater risk. Vitamin B12 is important since it works with the vitamin folate to make the body’s genetic material and help keep levels of the amino acid homocysteine in check which helps to decrease heart disease risk. It is also essential in the production of red blood cells which carry oxygen through the blood to the body’s tissues. Life Extension gives offers some of selenium supplements. Babies who are born of parents with low selenium and vitamin B12 rich foods are at risk of anaemia.
8 December 2013. Goldman, Bruce. “Scientists Discover Blood Factors That Appear to Cause Aging in Brains of Mice.” Stanford School of Medicine. N.p., 31 Aug. 2011.
The research into the effect Vitamin A has on Alzheimer’s disease needs to be furthered. One avenue to further it would be examining retinoic acids in vivo. This would allow the retinoid mechanisms of action and their receptors in Alzheimer’s disease to be better understood. Another method to further research would be to study the affect retinoic acid has on amyloid β in Alzheimer’s disease using different techniques, such as histopathological observation.
Kumar, S., Rao, S. L., Sunny, B., & Gangadhar, B. N. (2007) Widespread cognitive impairment
...t one has it. Many scientists hypothesize that there is an inflammatory response in the brain when there is an extensive B-42 amassing. To slow or stop this, scientists theorize that the use of anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin, could delay the swelling in the brain. Also, as scientists have known that taking a multi-vitamin tablet each day is good for you, there has been recent research demonstrating that the use of antioxidants may protect neurons, not just the immune system and keeping the body healthy by providing vitamins and minerals. These special supplements protect the neurons from the effects of the accruing B-Amyloid that would likely cause the plaque that causes AD.
...Carmo. "Effects Of Maternal Malnutrition And Postnatal Nutritional Rehabilitation On Brain Fatty Acids, Learning, And Memory." Nutrition Reviews 69.3 (2011): 132-144. MEDLINE. Web. 13 Nov. 2013.
Cummings, Jeffrey L., Cole, Greg. “Alzheimer Disease.” Journal of the American Medical Association. May 2002: 287-18. Health Source. EBSCOhost. Utica College Lib. 15 Apr 2005. .
Vitamin B12 deficiency is common in the United States and often responsible for anemia and neurologic symptoms, particularly in the elderly.
Vitamin B-12 is essential for energy production as well as influencing the way your body uses carbohydrates.
Kamphuis, P. H., & Scheltens, P. (2010). Can nutrients prevent or delay onset of alzheimer's disease?. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, 20(3), 765-775. doi:10.3233/JAD-2010-091558
Holick, MF 2007, 'Vitamin D Deficiency', New England Journal of Medicine, vol. 357, no. 3, pp. 266-81.
Historically, memory has been a recurring topic in cognition research. Through the years, many scientific findings have helped us to understand how memory works. Since, older adults are the subgroup most affected by frequent memory deficiencies, they would be highly benefited with the advance of the cognitive
Vitamins, a group of organic substances required in our diets in small amounts for growth and nutrition, are usually found in foodstuffs or taken as supplements. Yet vitamins probably present a wider gap between myth and reality in the layman's understanding than almost any other area of our diet. Surveys have found that while a majority of Americans do take vitamin supplements on a regular or occasional basis for reason of health concerns, there exists enormous confusion about the actual purpose and benefits of this practice ("Use of Vitamin and Mineral Supplements in the United States," 1990:161). Most people have a recognition that Vitamin C prevents scurvy, that Vitamin A is found in fish-liver oils, or that Vitamin D is found in dairy products; many people believe that Vitamin E preserves youth and prevents sterility, or that Vitamin C can present colds and cancer. Beyond this, however, there is still considerable ignorance and widespread myth.