Brain Farts Reduced by Folic Acid
Ever suffer from a brain fart? That momentary lapse of brain function where you can almost feel the gas passing between the folds of your aging brain while you stare into space?
You can now overcome brain farts by taking folic acid. Taking 800 micrograms of folic acid a day improved the memory of older adults, in a study by Dutch. This was the first study to actually demonstrate a vitamin pill might slow the mental decline of aging.
The research adds to mounting evidence that a diet higher in folate — a B vitamin found in grains and certain dark-colored fruits and vegetables — is important for preventing a variety of diseases. It’s already been proven to lower women’s risk of devastating birth defects of the brain and spinal cord, and research suggests it helps ward off heart disease and strokes, too.
As people age, some decline in brain function is inevitable. It is normal to suffer from “CRS” (Can’t Remember Shit). The Dutch study tested whether otherwise healthy people could slow their brain farts by taking double the recommended daily U.S. dose of folic acid — the amount in 2.5 pounds of strawberries.
The study divided 818 people ages 50 to 75 to take either a vitamin containing 800 micrograms of folic acid a day, or a dummy pill, for three years.
The folic acid protected users’ brains, according to lead researcher Jane Durga of Wageningen University.
On memory tests, the folic acid 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.
The study involved healthy older people, but not those with Alzheimer’s. So there’s no proof whether folic acid can ward off dementia. That’s a subject for future studies.
Still, folic acid offered significant brain protection, said Johns Hopkins University neuroscientist Marilyn Albert, who chairs the Alzheimer’s Association’s science advisory council.
Scientists have long thought that folic acid might play a role in dementia. Previous studies have shown people with low folate levels are more at risk for both heart disease and diminished cognitive function; clogged arteries slow blood flow in the brain.
“We know that Alzheimer’s disease, begins many, many years before the actual symptoms show. We ought to be thinking about the health of our brain the same way we think about the health of our heart,” Alpert added.
Folate is found in such foods as oranges and strawberries, dark green leafy vegetables and beans. In the United States, it also is added to cereal and flour products. The recommended daily dose here is 400 micrograms; doctors advise women of childbearing age to take a supplement to ensure they get that much.
To read more about ways you can prevent dementia in yourself and those around you have a look at http://www.boomer-books.com/health_page/healthpage.html