Fish, meat, milk, and eggs are the main sources of vitamin B12 , also known as cobalamin. A lack of this substance in the diet can cause the brain to lose brain cells and develop cognitive problems , according to a study published in Neurology , the journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
The research involved 121 people over 65 years of age who were measured for vitamin B12 levels and metabolites that may indicate a vitamin B12 deficiency. The participants also went through tests of memory and other cognitive skills. Four and a half years later, MRI scans of the subjects' brains measured total brain volume and other signs of brain damage. In this way, the scientists verified that high levels of vitamin B12 deficiency markers were associated with lower scores on cognitive tests and lower total brain volume.
? It is too early to say whether increasing vitamin B12 levels in older people through diet or supplements could prevent these problems, "warned Christine C. Tangney of Rush University Medical Center in Chicago (USA) , co-author of the study.
