VOLUME 2008 issue 8

B-Vitamin Deficiencies Increase Dementia Risk

JM Kim, from Chonnam National University Medical School (Korea), and colleagues completed a study of 518 men and women, average age 74, for 2.4 years. They team found thatdementia occurred more commonly in those with a decline in folate, with folate deficiency correlated to a 3.5-time increase in the likelihood of developing the disease. Additionally, the researchers found low concentrations of vitamin B-12 to be associated with the risk of dementia.
[Kim JM, Stewart R, Kim SW, Yang SJ, Shin HY, Shin IS, Yoon JS. “Changes in folate, vitamin B12, and homocysteine associated with incident dementia.” J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2008 Feb 5; [Epub ahead of print].

Dr. Klatz observes: Dementia is the progressive loss and impairment of activities such as memory, behavior, personality, judgment, attention, spatial relations, language, abstract thought, and other intellectual capacities. Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia and currently affects over 13 million people worldwide. This study underscores the value of a healthy lifestyle, and particularly the consumption of a diet rich in B vitamins.”

Antioxidants and Carotenoids Preserve Aging Eyes

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of legal blindness for people age 55-plus in the Western world. Vincenzo Parisi, from the Fondazione G. B. Bietti-Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (Italy), enrolled 27 men and women, average age 69.6, in a year-long study: 15 participants received daily antioxidant and carotenoid supplements and 12 received placebo.

The daily supplement provided 180 mg vitamin C, 30 mg vitamin E, 22.5 mg zinc, 1 mg copper, 10 mg lutein, 1 mg zeaxanthin, and 4 mg astaxanthin. Participants who received the supplement showed a significant improvement in the function of the central retina (the portion of the eye most adversely impacted in AMD).
[Parisi V, Tedeschi M, Gallinaro G, Varano M, Saviano S, Piermarocchi S; CARMIS Study Group. “Carotenoids and antioxidants in age-related maculopathy italian study: multifocal electroretinogram modifications after 1 year.” Ophthalmology. 2008 Feb;115(2):324-333.e2. Epub 2007 Aug 22.]

Remarks Dr. Goldman: “AMD causes central vision loss and leaves only peripheral vision. Early detection has been the primary mode of prevention, in that treatment or rehabilitation can be key if implemented in the initial phase of the disease. This study suggests a role for antioxidants and carotenoids beyond prevention, and a potential utility for supplementation of these nutrients to actually improve retinal health.”

Western Diet Promotes Metabolic Syndrome

Metabolic Syndrome is a condition characterized by central obesity, hypertension, and disturbed glucose and insulin metabolism. Pamela Lutsey, from the University of Minnesota (USA), and colleagues, found that the high calorie, low fiber dietary pattern associated with the Western diet contributes to an increased risk of Metabolic Syndrome. The team followed more than 9,500 subjects, ages 45 to 74, for 9 years, administering a food frequency questionnaire to assess dietary intakes. The team found that fried foods, diet soft drinks, and meat consumption were linked to an increase in the risk of Metabolic Syndrome. Regular consumption of dairy products was found to be beneficial.
[Lutsey PL, Steffen LM, Stevens J. “Dietary Intake and the Development of the Metabolic Syndrome. The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study.” Circulation. 2008 Jan 22; [Epub ahead of print].

Comments Dr. Klatz: “Previous studies have implicated the Western diet as a causal factor in a range of conditions, from obesity to colorectal cancer. This study now adds Metabolic Syndrome to the list. This study shows that by simply reducing our daily consumption of meats and processed foods, we can beneficially impact our risk of Metabolic Syndrome, which affects 32% of Americans and 15% of the adult European population.”

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