Food sources: Fish, meat, poultry, eggs, dairy products and some fortified foods and nutritional yeast. Supplement with 500 mcg of vitamin B12* (look for methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin, the most active forms).

Vitamin B6

A 2012 study of older adults published in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry found that daily high-dose supplements (20 milligrams) of vitamin B6, in addition to B12 and folate, given for 2 years were associated with slowing cognitive decline and brain shrinkage compared with a placebo, especially in people who had high homocysteine levels at the start of the study.

Food sources: Fish, beans, potatoes, bananas and organ meats, such as liver. Supplement with: 20 mg vitamin B6* (look for pyridoxal 5'-phosphate, the most active form).

Take action now.

If you're already noticing some cognitive decline, optimize your intake of B vitamins now, as scientists suspect there may be a certain window of opportunity to reverse the trend. Ask your doctor to check your homocysteine level with a blood test, which can provide a clue as to whether you're getting enough B vitamins. Studies suggest people with homocysteine concentrations at or above 10 micromoles per liter would benefit from B vitamin supplements to reduce risk of impaired brain function and Alzheimer's disease.

Multivitamins generally don't contain all of the B vitamin doses suggested to help optimize brain function, so look for an activated B complex vitamin supplement, such as Seeking Health HomocysteXPlus or Designs for Health Ultra B12-Folate, and ask your doctor to monitor you if taking high-dose supplements.

*Note: Effective dose for supporting cognitive function suggested by research studies. These doses are significantly larger than the RDA for these vitamins.

ÿRoasted Salmon with White Bean, Almond & Spinach Salad

Serves 4

...continued