Folate, found in vitamins B12 and B6 is important to the body in processing homocysteine levels. Now a study links higher folate levels with a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease. The report is published in the January issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journal.

Higher folate intake was modestly correlated with lower homocysteine levels, indirectly suggesting that a lower homocysteine level is a potential mechanism for the association between higher folate intake and a lower Alzheimer’s disease risk,” the authors write.

Definitive conclusions about the role of folate in Alzheimer’s disease cannot yet be made, the authors caution.

Folate is necessary for the production and maintenance of new cells and is especially important during periods of rapid cell division and growth. Folate is needed to make DNA and RNA, the building blocks of cells. It also helps prevent changes to DNA that may lead to cancer. Folate is needed to make normal red blood cells and prevent anemia. Folic acid is the synthetic form of the vitamin found in supplements and fortified foods.