It acts directly on cognitive functions.
Losing your keys, looking for a word that escapes us … These little everyday lomes, often put on the account of fatigue or stress, can become more frequent with age. Brain aging is a natural and inevitable process that concerns everyone. If this decline is often benign, it can gradually evolve towards a loss of autonomy. A vast international study has looked into the role of vitamin on preserving neurons.
To achieve their conclusions, scientists have compiled the results of 95 previous studies, involving more than 46,000 participants. They examined the effects of supplementation on the cognitive functions of people of all ages, by assessing orientation, memory or even attention. The results, published in the journal Nutrition Reviews, revealed that this vitamin did not only make up for a deficiency, it actively slowed down the degradation of brain functions.
According to researchers, it is the B vitamins that play a protective role on our brain. B vitamins are actually a family of vitamins. Here, it is more particularly vitamin B9, also called Folat, which is doing well. “Lower folate rates (…) were significantly associated with higher risks of dementia”say scientists. The action of folate would in particular go through their ability to regulate the level of homocysteine in the blood. A high rate of this amino acid is recognized as a risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases. By ensuring a sufficient contribution to vitamin B9, we therefore help the body to maintain a low level of homocysteine, thus protecting the health of our brain blood vessels and our neurons.
It is found in abundance in vegetables with green leaves such as spinach, salad or even broccoli. It is also found in legumes such as lenses, chickpeas and dry beans. To reach the contribution recommended by ANSES, fixed at 330 micrograms (µg) per day for an adult, it is enough for example to consume a plate of 150g of cooked spinach (about 195 µg) and a small portion of lenses (approximately 100 µg). If supplementation can be useful in some cases, it should never be taken lightly. Always discuss it with a healthcare professional because an overdose can have adverse effects.
