Alzheimer’s is a particular form of dementia for which no cure is currently known. Some symptoms, such as parandontitis or diabetes, can help doctors anticipate the progression of the disease and monitor the patient adequately. Even without definitive treatment, there are some tricks and precautions that can help prevent, or at least delay, the disease before it occurs. Already in a previous article we underlined the importance of the diet (for example foods rich in omega 3), in improving the conditions of patients with Alzheimer’s. A new article again considers the impact of diet on disease progression. It turns out that to protect ourselves from the effects of Alzheimer’s we will need to stock up on this precious vitamin found in some foods.
Cobalamin or Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 (also called cobalamin due to the presence of a cobalt atom inside the molecule) is a molecule that intervenes in numerous essential processes of our metabolism. For this reason, its deficiency can lead to serious diseases such as pernicious anemia. Generally a Vitamin B12 deficiency is common (around 10-15% of people over 60; around 35% of people over 80). It is important to supplement the amount of Vitamin B12 either with the diet or with pharmaceutical supplements.
Excellent sources of Vitamin B12 are common foods of the Mediterranean diet: fish (for example salmon, tuna or trout), eggs or meat (for example liver or pork).
To protect ourselves from the effects of Alzheimer’s we will need to stock up on this precious vitamin found in some foods
In a major study published a few days ago in the scientific journal Cell (Lam AB et al, 2021), scientists focused their attention on Alzheimer’s and its links to diet. Alzheimer’s disease is a multifactorial disease characterized by the presence of specific biochemical changes.
To get a fairly realistic model of what happens in Alzheimer’s disease, the scientists conducted some experiments on a worm called C.Elegans.
When this worm has an accumulation of Beta amyloid (present in large quantities even in patients with Alzheimer’s), the worm stops completely, does not move. However, if you give it some Vitamin B12, the worm stops much slower. This could be an indication that Vitamin B12 may be important in slowing or improving the condition of Alzheimer’s patients.
Scientists point out that this is an important discovery that could spark the search for new drugs against Alzheimer’s. However, these studies were conducted on worms, never on humans. It is therefore necessary to evaluate whether the intake of Vitamin B12 supplements, in patients with Alzheimer’s, may lead to any improvement.