Alzheimer’s: Vitamin B supplementation could slow aging of neurons

Aging can cause cognitive decline due to changes that happen in our brain
cells; however, it is not clear how much of this is intrinsic or due to
diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
In order to improve energy metabolism in the brain, a group of
scientists looked at the effect of supplementing a group of adults with a
form of vitamin B3.The researchers found that the supplement nicotinamide
riboside was converted into a molecule involved in energy metabolism in
neurons.
They also observed a small but significant decrease in the levels of
amyloid beta protein in neurons, following supplementation.
Age isn’t just a number, and aging mechanisms affect us at a cellular
level. The reason why some people age faster than others has been the focus
of much recent research. About one-third of people who are over the age of
85 have some form of dementia.As humans are living longer, the number of people with dementia in the
population is also growing, and the World Health Organisation reports there
are currently more than 55 million people living with dementia worldwide,
and nearly 10 million new cases every year.