journal articles
EFFECTS OF FOLIC ACID AND VITAMIN B12 SUPPLEMENTATION ON COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT AND INFLAMMATION IN PATIENTS WITH ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE: A RANDOMIZED, SINGLE-BLINDED, PLACEBO-CONTROLLED TRIAL
H. Chen, S. Liu, B. Ge, D. Zhou, M. Li, W. Li, F. Ma, Z. Liu, Y. Ji, G. Huang
J Prev Alz Dis 2021;3(8):249-256
Objectives: To evaluate the combined action of folic acid and vitamin B12 supplementation on cognitive performance and inflammation in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
Design: This was a randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
Participants: Patients (n=120) diagnosed clinically as probable AD and in stable condition from Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cerebrovascular and Neurodegenerative Diseases.
Measurements: Individuals were randomly divided into the intervention group (n=60, folic acid 1.2 mg/d + vitamin B12 50 μg/d) and the placebo group (n=60). Cognitive performance, blood folate, vitamin B12, one carbon cycle metabolite, and inflammatory cytokine levels were measured at baseline and after 6 months. The data were analyzed using linear mixed models for repeated measures.
Results: A total of 101 participants (51 in the intervention group and 50 in the placebo group) completed the trial. Folic acid plus vitamin B12 supplementation had a beneficial effect on the MoCA total scores (P=0.029), naming scores (P=0.013), orientation scores (P=0.004), and ADAS-Cog domain score of attention (P=0.008), as compared to those of the control subjects. Moreover, supplementation significantly increased plasma SAM (P<0.001) and SAM/SAH (P<0.001), and significantly decreased the levels of serum Hcy (P<0.001), plasma SAH (P<0.001), and serum TNFα (P<0.001) compared to in the control subjects.
Conclusions: Folic acid and vitamin B12 supplementation showed a positive therapeutic effect in AD patients who were not on a folic acid-fortified diet. The findings of this study help to delineate nutrient intervention as far as public health management for the prevention of dementia is concerned.
CITATION:
H. Chen ; S. Liu ; B. Ge ; D. Zhou ; M. Li ; W. Li ; F. Ma ; Z. Liu ; Y. Ji3 ; G. Huang (2021): Effects of Folic Acid and Vitamin B12 Supplementation on Cognitive Impairment and Inflammation in Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease: A Randomized, Single-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Trial. The Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease (JPAD). http://dx.doi.org/10.14283/jpad.2021.22