Meta-analysis on the use of vitamin B in preventing and treating people with dementia and cognitive impairment caused by Alzheimer’s disease

Abstract

     The prevention and delay of the onset of Alzheimer’s is considered one of the top priorities of public health care. The meta-analysis mentioned in this issue considers whether vitamin B supplements could successfully prevent the progressing of cognitive impairment and prevent impairment from using vitamin B in healthy population groups.  A total of 18 RCT studies involing 5911 participants were put into the meta-analysis. The forest plot shows that vitamin B supplementation is not effective in both patients with Mild cognitive impairment (MCI), Alzheimer’s disease (Z = 3.08; p = 0.002; MD: 0.38; 95 % CI: 0.14, 0.63), and as well as the healthy group (Z = 0.86; p = 0.390; MD: 0.06; 95 % CI: from −0.07 to 0.19). In contrast, they effectively improve homocysteine levels in serum (tHcy) (Z = 10.71; p = 0.000; MD: −0.75; 95 % CI: from −3.25 to −2.25). In conclusion, there is no evidence of beneficial effectiveness on improving cognitive impairment through vitamin B supplementation. However, it effectively reduces the tHcy concentration.