Seniors may be able to support their brain health as they grow older by taking B vitamins, as a new study has shown that vitamin B12 and folic acid play active roles in the function of the brain.

The new investigation is not the first to link B vitamins to brain health benefits, but it is one of the longest to directly compare supplementation to a placebo. Most studies simply ask participants about their past vitamin use or ask them to take a supplement for a few months.

In the present study, which was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers administered supplements containing vitamin B12 and folic acid or a placebo to a group of individuals between the ages of 60 and 74 for a two-year period. They then took various measures of participants' brain health.

Results showed that those taking the active supplements had signs of brain health support that were lacking in the participants who received the placebo.

The findings show that B vitamins can play an important function in the brain health of individuals as they age. This may be beneficial to seniors who are worried about the effects of age-related cognitive decline.