B vitamins and SAMe: key drivers of brain function

Andrea Fuso, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Clinical Biochemistry and Clinical Molecular Biology at the Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome. He is also a member of the Interdepartmental Center for Research in Neurobiology “Daniel Bovet” (CRiN) at Sapienza, an associate editor for Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences and Frontiers in Epigenetics and Epigenomics, review editor for Frontiers in Nutrition, and member of the editorial board of Clinical Epigenetics and Epigenomes.

In this interview clip, he explains how vitamin B levels support cognitive function and their relationship S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAMe) has with these outcomes. B vitamins support brain energy metabolism, he explains, while SAMe drives neurotransmitter synthesis and methylation—together influencing cognitive function, mood, and overall brain health.

Transcript

Nutritional Outlook: How do B vitamin levels in the body influence cognitive function? What relationship does SAMe have to these outcomes?

Andrea Fuso: Okay, B vitamins can influence cognitive outcomes in different ways, but one great portion—because B vitamins are involved in in different enzymatic activities—and, for example, in all the energetic processes, B vitamins are co-factors for enzymes involved in the energy production by carbohydrates and by lipids. So even having the necessary energetic background can influence the cognitive function. The brain is consuming a lot of carbohydrates, for example, for its function.

Beside this aspect, the key molecules is, once again, SAMe. Cause SAMe, as I told you, is a precursor of neurotransmitters. And in fact, SAMe was used in the in the US since, I think 10 or 20 years ago, it was used just as a pharma drug. And now is nutraceutical drug, but it was a pharma drug, and it was used as a mild antidepressant because of its role in the synthesis of acetylcholine, for example, and it also has an effect as a hepatoprotector, because the methylation reactions are often the first step for detoxifying drugs or end exogenous compounds. So SAMe is a sort of key in this in this aspect.