Vitamin B6 Deficit Promotes Inflammation, Heart Disease and Cognitive Decline

As cardiovascular disease continues to take the lives of millions of unsuspecting individuals worldwide, a continual stream of scientific evidence is emerging to show that many who suffer from this illness could be spared by relatively simple dietary and lifestyle interventions. Prior studies have shown that low vitamin B6 (pyridoxal-5-phosphate (PLP)) status are the root cause behind most inflammatory diseases, including cardiovascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and diabetes and new research indicates that vitamin B6 and B12 deficiencies are linked to cognitive decline and depression.

Researchers reporting in The Journal of Nutrition from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center at Tufts University in Boston have now provided conclusive evidence that low levels of vitamin B6 significantly increases the risk for diseases mediated by systemic inflammation, with special emphasis on the leading cause of mortality in the US, cardiovascular disease. Including natural foods such as leafy greens (spinach and kale), seeds and nuts to your diet may go a long way to cut the risks associated with heart disease, loss of cognition and early death.

Vitamins B6 and B12 are essential to prevent cognitive decline and depression

Researchers examined 2,229 men and women as part of the Framingham Offspring study and found that those individuals with the lowest plasma levels of vitamin B6, experienced the highest rise in circulating inflammatory markers. The study monitored 13 individual inflammatory markers, including interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor alpha and intercellular adhesion molecule-1, each known to be an independent risk factor in increased risk of inflammation and cardiovascular disease in particular.

Additional evidence supporting the importance of B vitamins is presented in The Journal of Nutrition to demonstrate that both vitamin B6 and B12 are essential to prevent cognitive decline and team together to provide natural relief from depression. Prior studies have demonstrated that supplementation with both B vitamins lowers damaging levels of the amino acid homocysteine and are associated with improvements in a range of mental tests including global cognition and spatial memory.

Using questionnaires to assess dietary and health factors, researchers analyzed the data to determine that low vitamin B12 concentrations were associated with higher scores to assess degree of depression and low B6 status related to poor mental status, a measure of cognitive abilities. The full spectrum of B vitamins are essential to energy metabolism in the human body and the latest research confirms that a well-balanced diet and daily supplementation can help prevent a range of chronic, debilitating conditions including heart disease, dementia and depression.

Sources for this article include:

http://jn.nutrition.org
http://www.medpagetoday.com/Cardiology/Prevention/33532
http://jn.nutrition.org
http://www.nutraingredients.com