Prevention: 'Vitamin B6 protects against Parkinson's disease'

People who consume a relatively large amount of vitamin B6 are less likely to develop Parkinson's disease than people with relatively little vitamin B6 in their diet.

This is the conclusion of Chinese epidemiologist Liang Shen of Shandong University of Technology from a meta-study for which he collected and re-analyzed data from previously published studies into the link between vitamin B6 and Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease causes a deficiency of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain. Cells that produce dopamine slowly die. Due to the dopamine deficiency, the control of muscle movements is affected and arms and legs start to tremble. At the same time, muscles become stiff, making it more difficult to start body movements. The first symptoms usually start between the ages of 50 and 70, with the greatest chance between 70 and 80 years.

Lifestyle and Parkinson's

According to researchers, there is a link between lifestyle and Parkinson's. The disease strikes less often in people who perform heavy physical work and in athletes. A diet high in peppers and peppers also protects, probably because they contain a lot of capasaicin, anatabine and nicotine. And then there is vitamin B6. Epidemiologists have repeatedly come across the protective effect of vitamin B6. For example, in 2010 Japanese epidemiologists published a small study in which they compared the diet of several hundred Parkinson's patients with that of a group of healthy people. [Br J Nutr. 2010 Sep;104(5):757-64.] The Japanese discovered that a relatively high intake of vitamin B6 reduced the risk of Parkinson's.

meta study

Liang Shen collected more studies like those of the Japanese study and pooled the data. Those studies also looked at the intake of folates, that of vitamin B12 and Parkinson's. A diet high in those vitamins did not protect. However, a relatively high intake of vitamin B6 did protect. People who consumed a relatively large amount of vitamin B6 had a 35 percent lower risk of Parkinson's than people with relatively little vitamin B6 in their diet.

Declaration

An old theory says that folates, vitamins B6 and B12 collectively reduce the concentration of the neurotoxic amino acid homocysteine, thus inhibiting Parkinson's disease. The results of this study do not confirm that theory and suggest that vitamin B6 protects in a different way.

Vitamin B6

Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) is part of the vitamin B complex. Vitamin B6 is important for resistance and digestion. It also plays a role in the formation of red blood cells. It is important for the energy supply. Vitamin B6 also ensures proper functioning of the nervous system. Good sources of vitamin B6 are meat, eggs, fish, grain products, potatoes and legumes.

Source: Ergogenics – nutrients. 2015 Aug 27;7(9):7197-208.