B12 Might Help Retain the Brain
Saturday, January 17th, 2009B12 Might Help Retain the Brain
Vitamin B12 may protect older people from losing brain mass and ultimately reduce the risk of developing dementia, suggests a new study from the University of Oxford. Previously, increased levels of vitamin B12 and other B vitamins were linked with lower levels of homocysteine, an amino acid reported to increase the risk of dementia or cognitive impairment. The study followed 107 volunteers between the ages of 61 and 87. Researchers collected blood samples to measure levels of vitamin B12 and holoTC levels. In fact, people with lower levels of B12 were six times more likely to experience brain shrinkage, said the researchers. On the other hand, high levels of methylmalonic acid or homocysteine, or low folate levels were not linked to brain volume loss. It is important to note that none of the volunteers were vitamin B12 deficient. (Neurology, September 2008, vol. 71, pp. 826-832)
Could your Spice rack Battle Foodborne Pathogens?
Oils or compounds extracted from the oils of herbs and spices like oregano, thyme, cinnamon and clove are reported to pack enough of an antimicrobial punch that they could stop such food borne pathogens as E. coli, Salmonella enterica, Campylobacter jejuni, or Listeria monocytogens. Scientists studied the potential of these oils several years ago, and are currently taking a second look at the research on the hope of developing tools to make foods safer. For example, scientists with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service are evaluation the highest-ranking botanical bactericides as potential ingredients in what are known as “edible films.” A thin, pliable, edible film for the future might be made of pureed spinach containing carvacrol, a compound from oregano oil, which was found to be a top fighter of E. coli. The scientists want to find out whether adding small squares of carvacrol enhanced spinach puree film to bags of chilled ready-to-eat spinach leaves would help protect this salad green against E. coli. (www.ars.USDA.gov)