(22-07-12) Vitamin B6 deficit promotes inflammation, heart disease and cognitive decline

by John Phillip

(NaturalNews) 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

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