Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Role of Vitamins in Alzheimer’s Disease

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Nutraceuticals for Alzheimer's Disease: A Promising Therapeutic Approach

Part of the book series: Nutritional Neurosciences ((NN))

  • 188 Accesses

Abstract

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a severe neurodegenerative ailment of the brain, affecting millions of elderly people globally. It has also created a great health concern in the future. Several acquired disease conditions and some other factors enhance the chance of developing AD. No treatment can completely cure AD. Scientific literature has established that vitamins have a number of targets in the aetiology of AD through which they act to prevent the neuronal dysfunction in the disease. Thus, by understanding the role of vitamins, we are able to state that vitamins can be a good choice to overcome the detrimental effects of AD. Antioxidant vitamins play a major role because they act by reducing the degree of oxidative stress in the brain. The categories of vitamins having promising effects in declining the course of AD and its symptoms are reviewed. Low vitamin intake can increase the chances of acquiring AD. Fortunately, these significant vitamins that protect the brain can be acquired through various fruits and vegetables that are discussed here.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 149.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 199.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Allen RH, Stabler SP, Savage DG, Lindenbaum J (1990) Diagnosis of cobalamin deficiency I: usefulness of serum methylmalonic acid and total homocysteine concentrations. Am J Hematol 34(2):90–98

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Allison AC (2001) The possible role of vitamin K deficiency in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease and in augmenting brain damage associated with cardiovascular disease. Med Hypotheses 57(2):151–155

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Apel K, Hirt H (2004) Reactive oxygen species: metabolism, oxidative stress, and signal transduction. Annu Rev Plant Biol 55:373–399

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bachurin SO, Gavrilova SI, Samsonova A, Barreto GE, Aliev G (2018) Mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer disease: contemporary approaches to diagnostics and pharmacological intervention. Pharmacol Res 129:216–226

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bourdel-Marchasson I, Delmas-Beauvieux MC, Peuchant E, Richard-Harston S, Decamps A, Reignier B, Emeriau JP, Rainfray M (2001) Antioxidant defences and oxidative stress markers in erythrocytes and plasma from normally nourished elderly Alzheimer patients. Age Ageing 30(3):235–241

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Breteler MM (2000) Vascular risk factors for Alzheimer's disease: an epidemiologic perspective. Neurobiol Aging 21(2):153–160

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Calingasan NY, Uchida K, Gibson GE (1999) Protein-bound acrolein: a novel marker of oxidative stress in Alzheimer's disease. J Neurochem 72(2):751–756

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chan A, Shea TB (2006) Dietary and genetically-induced oxidative stress alter tau phosphorylation: influence of folate and apolipoprotein E deficiency. J Alzheimer's Dis 9(4):399–405

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Christen Y (2000) Oxidative stress and Alzheimer disease. Am J Clin Nutr 71(2):621S–629S

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dayon L, Guiraud SP, Corthésy J, Da Silva L, Migliavacca E, Tautvydaitė D, Oikonomidi A, Moullet B, Henry H, Métairon S, Marquis J, Descombes P, Collino S, Martin FJ, Montoliu I, Kussmann M, Wojcik J, Bowman GL, Popp J (2017) One-carbon metabolism, cognitive impairment and CSF measures of Alzheimer pathology: homocysteine and beyond. Alzheimers Res Ther 9(1):43

    Article  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Douaud G, Refsum H, de Jager CA, Jacoby R, Nichols TE, Smith SM, Smith AD (2013) Preventing Alzheimer's disease-related gray matter atrophy by B-vitamin treatment. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 110(23):9523–9528

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Dursun E, Gezen-Ak D (2019) Vitamin D basis of Alzheimer's disease: from genetics to biomarkers. Hormones (Athens) 18(1):7–15

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ferland G (2012) Vitamin K, an emerging nutrient in brain function. Biofactors 38(2):151–157

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fessel J (2021) Supplemental thiamine as a practical, potential way to prevent Alzheimer's disease from commencing. Alzheimer's dementia (N. Y.) 7(1):e12199

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Foy CJ, Passmore AP, Vahidassr MD, Young IS, Lawson JT (1999) Plasma chain-breaking antioxidants in Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia and Parkinson's disease. QJM 92(1):39–45

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Goetz CG, Pappert EJ (1999) Textbook of clinical neurology. W.B. Saunders, Philladelphia

    Google Scholar 

  • Granic A, Hill TR, Kirkwood TB, Davies K, Collerton J, Martin-Ruiz C, von Zglinicki T, Saxby BK, Wesnes KA, Collerton D, Mathers JC, Jagger C (2015) Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and cognitive decline in the very old: the Newcastle 85+ study. Eur J Neurol 22(1):106–1e7

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Harrison FE (2012) A critical review of vitamin C for the prevention of age-related cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease. J Alzheimers Dis 29(4):711–726

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Hazell AS, Faim S, Wertheimer G, Silva VR, Marques CS (2013) The impact of oxidative stress in thiamine deficiency: a multifactorial targeting issue. Neurochem Int 62(5):796–802

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hofman A, Ott A, Breteler MM, Bots ML, Slooter AJ, van Harskamp F, van Duijn CN, Van Broeckhoven C, Grobbee DE (1997) Atherosclerosis, apolipoprotein E, and prevalence of dementia and Alzheimer's disease in the Rotterdam study. Lancet 349(9046):151–154

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Joodi G, Ansari N, Khodagholi F (2011) Chitooligosaccharide-mediated neuroprotection is associated with modulation of Hsps expression and reduction of MAPK phosphorylation. Int J Biol Macromol 48(5):726–735

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kuzminski AM, Del Giacco EJ, Allen RH, Stabler SP, Lindenbaum J (1998) Effective treatment of cobalamin deficiency with oral cobalamin. Blood 92(4):1191–1198

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Liao WC, Chen JR, Wang YJ, Tseng GF (2010) Methylcobalamin, but not methylprednisolone or pleiotrophin, accelerates the recovery of rat biceps after ulnar to musculocutaneous nerve transfer. Neuroscience 171(3):934–949

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Livingston G, Huntley J, Sommerlad A, Ames D, Ballard C, Banerjee S, Mukadam N (2020) Dementia prevention, intervention, and care: 2020 report of the lancet commission. Lancet 396(10248):413–446

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Lu'o'ng KV, Nguyen LT (2011) Role of thiamine in Alzheimer's disease. Am J Alzheimers Dis Other Dement 26(8):588–598

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ma F, Zhou X, Li Q, Zhao J, Song A, An P, Du Y, Xu W, Huang G (2019) Effects of folic acid and vitamin B12, alone and in combination on cognitive function and inflammatory factors in the elderly with mild cognitive impairment: a single-blind experimental design. Curr Alzheimer Res 16(7):622–632

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Malouf R, Grimley Evans J (2003) The effect of vitamin B6 on cognition. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 4:CD004393

    Google Scholar 

  • Mangialasche F, Polidori MC, Monastero R, Ercolani S, Camarda C, Cecchetti R, Mecocci P (2009) Biomarkers of oxidative and nitrosative damage in Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment. Ageing Res Rev 8(4):285–305

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Maqbool MA, Aslam M, Akbar W, Iqbal Z (2018) Biological importance of vitamins for human health: a review. J Agric Basic Sci 2(3):50–58

    Google Scholar 

  • Mariani E, Polidori MC, Cherubini A, Mecocci P (2005) Oxidative stress in brain aging, neurodegenerative and vascular diseases: an overview. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci 827(1):65–75

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Montilla-López P, Muñoz-Agueda MC, FeijóoLópez M, Muñoz-Castañeda JR, Bujalance-Arenas I, Túnez-Fiñana I (2002) Comparison of melatonin versus vitamin C on oxidative stress and antioxidant enzyme activity in Alzheimer's disease induced by okadaic acid in neuroblastoma cells. Eur J Pharmacol 451(3):237–243

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Morris MS (2003) Homocysteine and Alzheimer's disease. Lancet Neurol 2(7):425–428

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ono K, Yamada M (2012) Vitamin a and Alzheimer's disease. Geriatr Gerontol Int 12(2):180–188

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Persson T, Popescu BO, Cedazo-Minguez A (2014) Oxidative stress in Alzheimer's disease: why did antioxidant therapy fail? Oxidative Med Cell Longev 2014:1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Polidori MC, Ruggiero C, Croce MF, Raichi T, Mangialasche F, Cecchetti R, Pelini L, Paolacci L, Ercolani S, Mecocci P (2015) Association of increased carotid intima-media thickness and lower plasma levels of vitamin C and vitamin E in old age subjects: implications for Alzheimer's disease. J Neural transm 122(4):523–530

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Popescu A, German M (2021) Vitamin K2 holds promise for Alzheimer’s prevention and treatment. Nutrients 13(7):2206

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Powers HJ (2003) Riboflavin (vitamin B-2) and health. Am J Clin Nutr 77(6):1352–1360

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Presse N, Shatenstein B, Kergoat MJ, Ferland G (2008) Low vitamin K intakes in community-dwelling elders at an early stage of Alzheimer's disease. J Am Diet Assoc 108(12):2095–2099

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rivière S, Birlouez-Aragon I, Nourhashémi F, Vellas B (1998) Low plasma vitamin C in Alzheimer patients despite an adequate diet. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 13(11):749–754

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Robinson N, Grabowski P, Rehman I (2018) Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis: is there a role for folate? Mech Ageing Dev 174:86–94

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rogers J, Luber-Narod J, Styren SD, Civin WH (1988) Expression of immune system-associated antigens by cells of the human central nervous system: relationship to the pathology of Alzheimer's disease. Neurobiol Aging 9(4):339–349

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rudzki L, Stone TW, Maes M, Misiak B, Samochowiec J, Szulc A (2021) Gut microbiota-derived vitamins–underrated powers of a multipotent ally in psychiatric health and disease. Prog Neuro-Psychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 107:110240

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Saedisomeolia A, Ashoori M (2018) Riboflavin in human health: a review of current evidences. Adv Food Nutr Res 83:57–81

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Savage DG, Lindenbaum J (1995) 11 neurological complications of acquired cobalamin deficiency: clinical aspects. Baillieres Clin Haematol 8(3):657–678

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schaffer WM, Bronnikova TV (2012) Peroxidase-ROS interactions. Nonlin Dyn 68(3):413–430

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Serbinova E, Kagan V, Han D, Packer L (1991) Free radical recycling and intramembrane mobility in the antioxidant properties of alpha-tocopherol and alpha-tocotrienol. Free Radic Biol Med 10(5):263–275

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sodhi RK, Singh N (2014) Retinoids as potential targets for Alzheimer's disease. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 120:117–123

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Swaminathan A, Jicha GA (2014) Nutrition and prevention of Alzheimer’s dementia. Front Aging Neurosci 6:282

    Article  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Takasaki J, Ono K, Yoshiike Y, Hirohata M, Ikeda T, Morinaga A, Takashima A, Yamada M (2011) Vitamin a has anti-oligomerization effects on amyloid-β in vitro. Alzheimer's Dis 27(2):271–280

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Terry RD, Masliah E, Hansen LA (1994) Structural basis of the cognitive alterations in Alzheimer disease, Alzheimer Dis 179–196

    Google Scholar 

  • Vogel T, Dali-Youcef N, Kaltenbach G, Andres E (2009) Homocysteine, vitamin B12, folate and cognitive functions: a systematic and critical review of the literature. Int J Clin Pract 63(7):1061–1067

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wahlin A, Hill RD, Winblad B, Bäckman L (1996) Effects of serum vitamin B12 and folate status on episodic memory performance in very old age: a population-based study. Psychol Aging 11(3):487–496

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • WHO (2015 Serum and red blood cell folate concentrations for assessing folate status in populations. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/75584

    Google Scholar 

  • Witztum JL, Steinberg D (1991) Role of oxidized low density lipoprotein in atherogenesis. J Clin Invest 88(6):1785–1792

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Zandi PP, Anthony JC, Khachaturian AS, Stone SV, Gustafson D, Tschanz JT, Norton MC, Welsh-Bohmer KA, Breitner JC, Cache County Study Group (2004) Reduced risk of Alzheimer disease in users of antioxidant vitamin supplements: the Cache County study. Arch Neurol 61(1):82–88

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Immunology, School of Biological Sciences, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India

    Jayaraj Kiruba & Mariakuttikan Jayalakshmi

  2. Department of Biochemistry, School of Biological Sciences, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India

    Arokiasamy Justin Thenmozhi

  3. Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Annamalai University, Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu, India

    Arokiasamy Justin Thenmozhi

  4. Department of Physics, N.M.S.S.V.N. College, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India

    Ephrem Arockia Jeya Yasmi Prabha

Authors
  1. Jayaraj Kiruba
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Arokiasamy Justin Thenmozhi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Mariakuttikan Jayalakshmi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Ephrem Arockia Jeya Yasmi Prabha
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India

    Arokiyasamy Justin Thenmozhi

  2. Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Annamalai University, Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu, India

    Thamilarasan Manivasagam

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Kiruba, J., Justin Thenmozhi, A., Jayalakshmi, M., Arockia Jeya Yasmi Prabha, E. (2023). Role of Vitamins in Alzheimer’s Disease. In: Thenmozhi, A.J., Manivasagam, T. (eds) Nutraceuticals for Alzheimer's Disease: A Promising Therapeutic Approach. Nutritional Neurosciences. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-0677-2_2

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-0677-2_2

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-99-0676-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-99-0677-2

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation