B12 / Folic Acid
Studies have shown that there is a tendancy in Down syndrome to have low levels of B12 and Folic Acid. Replacing B12 and Folic Acid helps to normalize metabolism. Specifically, B12 and Folic Acid are used in a metabolic cycle called the SAM cycle.
The best write up on the SAM cycle in plain English is by a woman named Ginger Houston-Ludlam. It goes into detail about why the Down syndrome population needs supplementation of B12 and Folic Acid. (See Below)
Another Reason to include these supplements is the link between low levels of B12 and Folic Acid and Alzheimers Disease.
A recent article in the journal Neurology reports that elderly people with low blood levels of folic acid and vitamin B12 have an increased risk of developing Alzheimers disease. The study was conducted in Sweden and included 370 adults age 75 or older with no medical evidence of Alzheimers disease or other types of dementia. After following the subjects for 3 years, the researchers concluded that people with low blood levels of both folic acid and vitamin B12 were at greater risk of developing Alzheimers disease than those with low levels of only one of the vitamins.
This just reinforces the need in Down syndrome.