The Latest Mind-Sharpening Nutrient

We’ve all heard that foods rich in antioxidants can be key in preventing Alzheimer’s. Now there’s surprising evidence that another nutrient may give antioxidants some heavy competition, reducing risk by as much as 80 percent.

In the first study examining how higher levels of niacin, or vitamin B-3, may affect Alzheimer’s risk, researchers from the Rush Institute for Healthy Aging in Chicago assessed the diets and mental abilities of 3,718 seniors over nine years. Those who got about 22 milligrams of niacin in their daily diets—compared with those who got about 12—were 80 percent less likely to develop the disease.

As yet, no clear mechanism links niacin to brain health, but earlier studies have shown it to be important for nerve signaling as well as DNA synthesis and repair.

The recommended daily allowance of niacin is between 14 and 16 milligrams. There’s no danger in going over that limit, says the study’s lead author, Martha Morris, though the best results were seen in people who ate niacin-rich foods, not supplements. She recommends that people of all ages boost their intake of high-niacin foods, which include turkey, chicken, and salmon.

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