title: B-vitamins reduce plasma levels of beta amyloid.
abstract: Elevated plasma homocysteine (tHcy) is a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD), and thus B vitamins may have a role in the prevention of AD. The objective of this study was to determine if tHcy lowering vitamins decrease the circulating levels of A-beta protein 1-40 (A beta 40). We randomized 299 older men to treatment with 2mg of folate, plus 25mg of B6 and 400 microg of B12, or placebo. After 2 years of treatment the mean (S.E.) increase of A beta 40 was 7.0 pg/ml (8.4) in the vitamin group (4.9%), and 26.8 pg/ml (7.7) (18.5%) in the placebo group. We conclude that B vitamins may decrease the plasma level of A beta 40 and have a role in the prevention of AD.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Western Australia, Australia. leonflic@cyllene.uwa.edu.au
authors.forename: Leon
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Flicker
authors.forename: Ralph N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Acres
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Taddei
authors.forename: Samuel D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Vasikaran
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Norman
authors.forename: Konrad
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jamrozik
authors.forename: Osvaldo P
authors.initials: OP
authors.lastname: Almeida
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000097:blood*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*; D014803:Vitamin B Complex / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood; D014804:Vitamin B Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C078592:amyloid beta-protein (1-40); D006710:Homocysteine; D014803:Vitamin B Complex