In September, Dr. Jeffrey Lee, Richmond Naturopathic Doctor, featured a docu-series on Brain Health at Brio Integrative Health Centre. The response was fantastic and the series received a lot of positive feedback from patients.

Here is a comment from one patient: “I learned so much about my brain! I didn’t realize how much my sugary diet, inflammation from food allergies, hormone imbalance, habits around my cell phone use, environmental toxins and my lack of B Vitamins had such an impact on my brain. Thank you Dr. Lee for sharing this information and motivating me to do some simple changes to protect my aging brain.”

Today’s blog will summarize a topic presented in the documentary: the connection between B vitamins and brain health:

Modern research shows a link between elevated homocysteine levels and the development of dementia.  Homocysteine is an amino acid in the body that builds up when there is a lack of specific B vitamins to detoxify.  The specific B vitamins that are important at protecting the brain are: B6, folic acid (B9) and B12. A two-year study showed that when the above mentioned B vitamins were combined with high Omega-3 levels, patients experienced a 40% reduction in brain atrophy.

 

Can I Get Enough B Vitamins in Foods?

At Brio, we always encourage our patients to get their nutrients from real, whole foods.  However, with genetic testing, we now know that 60% of the population will likely need more B vitamins than they are able to get from foods alone. Therefore supplementation is important. Here are some foods rich in B vitamins:

Foods rich in Vitamin B6: Turkey, chicken, beef, wild-caught salmon, sweet potatoes, potatoes, sunflower seeds, pistachios, avocado, spinach and bananas

Foods rich in Folic Acid/Folate (B9): Leafy green vegetables, broccoli, asparagus, spinach, beans (lentils, pinto, garbanzo, navy, black beans and kidney)

Foods rich in Vitamin B12: Beef, beef liver, lamb, venison, salmon, shrimp, scallops, chicken, eggs and dairy products. Vitamin B12 is only found in animal meats, so consider supplementation if you are vegetarian/vegan!

 

What B Vitamins Should I Supplement With?

There are a number of different vitamins in the Vitamin B family.  In order to know your exact requirements, we recommend doing a Genetic Screening test.  B vitamin supplementation can be taken in a capsule, given by injection, or through intravenous (I.V. Nutrient Therapy).  Please consult Dr. Lee to learn more about Genetic Testing and which B vitamins would be best suitable for you.

Are There Any Side Effects of B Vitamins?

B vitamins are water soluble vitamins, which means that they cannot accumulate in the body in toxic amounts. The are generally very safe and our body can effectively get rid of excess amount of B vitamins very easily.

Are There Other Benefits of Vitamin B?

There are many other health benefits of B vitamins including:

• Reducing stress and boosting mood

• Reducing symptoms of anxiety or depression

• Boost energy
• Improve the immune system

Get Your Vitamin B Injection During the Month of October!

 

For our October promotion, Brio is offering a package discount of three B Vitamin (B12 and B Complex) Injections for $60! Regular price is $25 per injection. Please call us today to book an appointment.