I read an interesting article from the AP about a Dutch study showing high doses of folic acid may slow the onset of Alzheimer's disease:
In the study, 818 cognitively healthy people ages 50 to 75 swallowed either folic acid or a dummy pill for three years.On memory tests, the supplement users had scores comparable to people 5.5 years younger, Durga said. On tests of cognitive speed, the folic acid helped users perform as well as people 1.9 years younger.
That's significant brain protection, with a supplement that's already well-known to be safe, said Johns Hopkins University neuroscientist Marilyn Albert, who chairs the Alzheimer's Association's science advisory council.
"I think I would take folic acid, assuming my doctor said it was OK," Albert said. "We know Alzheimer's disease, the pathology, begins many, many years before the symptoms. We ought to be thinking about the health of our brain the same way we think about the health of our heart."
It makes sense, really. It is known already that folic acid is essential for new cell growth. A B-complex vitamin, it occurs naturally in strawberries, leafy greens and oranges but is mostly destroyed in the cooking process. Cereals have been fortified with it for quite a while now, too.
The study also mentions the importance of being active mentally as you age. Well worth reading, especially if the disease runs in your family.
