Folate helps screen for Alzheimers disease

William Atkins
Monday, 17 November 2008 19:32

Science - Health

They stated in their abstract, “A folate-deficient yeast strain producing Aβ fused to green fluorescent protein (GFP) that spontaneously misfolds/aggregates and suppresses green fluorescence was used to examine the effects of folinic acid on Aβ-GFP fluorescence."

"At levels that did not affect growth or plasmid stability, increasing levels of folinic acid led to increasing green fluorescence, suggesting folate can assist with preventing Aβ-misfolding/aggregation.”

In conclusion, the Australian researchers state, “This result supports a protective role for folate and suggests that yeast assays may provide significant new approaches for testing of AD chemopreventatives.”

Additional information on Alzheimer's disease is found at: Alzheimer's Association.

More information on folate is found on the website of the Office of Dietary Supplements of the National Institutes of Health.

The website states, "Folate helps produce and maintain new cells. This is especially important during periods of rapid cell division and growth such as infancy and pregnancy. 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. Both adults and children need folate to make normal red blood cells and prevent anemia. Folate is also essential for the metabolism of homocysteine, and helps maintain normal levels of this amino acid."

In simple terms, adequate amounts of folate in the body is essential for good health. So, eat your leafy vegetables!