Folate and Vitamin B12 Deficiencies and Neurodegenerative Disease
Martha Clare Morris, ScD; Denis A. Evans, MD; Julia L. Bienias, ScD;
Christine C. Tangney, PhD; Liesi E. Hebert, ScD; Paul A. Scherr,
PhD, ScD; Julie A. Schneider, MD. Dietary Folate and Vitamin B12 Intake and Cognitive Decline Among
Community-Dwelling Older Persons. Arch Neurol. 2005; 62: 641-645. |
COMMENT:
Folic acid and Vitamin B-12 work together so this study, which shows a worsening of brain function with higher intakes of folic acid, but a better outcome with Vitamin B-12 is challenging.
I wonder if this outcome is because folic acid tends to be taken in isolation as a supplement or an addition to foods such as bread, whereas Vitmin B-12 tends to be obtained from natural foods? If this is the reason, then it strengthens the case for eating real food instead of relying on supplements to make good an inadequate diet.
This may be bad news for vegans and other extreme vegetarians whose intakes are likely to be unbalanced with higher than safe intakes of folic acid, and inadequate amounts of vitamin B-12.
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