Vitamin Depletion Associated with Increased Risk of Parkinson’s Disease

In a recent study, scientists explored the relationship between B vitamin consumption and Parkinson’s disease risk. Parkinson’s disease is characterized by tremor, rigidity or stiffness of the limbs and trunk, slowness of movement (bradykinesia) and impaired balance and coordination. The symptoms are caused by a reduction in the neurotransmitter dopamine in the area of the brain known as the substantia nigra. According to the National Parkinson Foundation, 50,000-60,000 cases of Parkinson’s disease are diagnosed each year in the United States.

In this recent study, researchers evaluated dietary intake of vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), vitamin B12 and folic acid and the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. The study included 249 subjects diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and 368 control subjects without any neurodegenerative disease. The subjects completed a dietary questionnaire to evaluate dietary intakes over the preceding month.

The results of the study did not find an association between vitamin B2, vitamin B12 or folate and the risk of Parkinson’s disease. However, the study did show that low intake of vitamin B6 was associated with an increased risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. In fact, the study showed that the individuals with the highest intake of vitamin B6 had a 52 percent decrease in the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease compared to the subjects with the lowest intake.

The researchers stated, “In conclusion, in the present case-control study in Japan, low intake of vitamin B6, but not of folate, vitamin B12 or riboflavin, was independently associated with an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease.”

Reference:

Murakami K, Miyake Y, Sasaki S, Tanaka K, Fukushima W, Kiyohara C, Tsuboi Y, Yamada T, Oeda T, Miki T, Kawamura N, Sakae N, Fukuyama H, Hirota Y, Nagai M; the Fukuoka Kinki Parkinson’s Disease Study Group. Dietary intake of folate, vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and riboflavin and risk of Parkinson’s disease: a case-control study in Japan. Br J Nutr. 2010 Mar 26:1-8. Published Online Ahead of Print.