A recent study by the University of Oxford discovered that a combination of B-vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids could lower the risk of dementia by reducing the rate at which the disease develops.
Part of the Oxford Project to Investigate Memory and Ageing (OPTIMA), the study found that the interaction between the two nutrients is key to preventing dementia. If the levels of omega-3 fatty acids were too low, B-vitamin treatment could not make much headway in reducing its progress.
Poor nutrition is considered to be one of the contributors to the onset of various forms of dementia, such as minor cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s disease. Low levels of B-vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids are known risk factors for dementia.
One way to determine B-vitamin level is by measuring the amount of homocysteine in the blood. Elevated levels of the non-essential amino acid indicate low levels of B-vitamins, some of which are able to break down homocysteine into more useful cysteine or the essential methionine.
The Medical Research Council (UK), Charles Wolfson Charitable Trust, and Norwegian Research Council provided funding for the OPTIMA study. (Related: Many cases of “dementia” are actually side effects of prescription drugs or vaccines, according to research.)