More vitamin B6 linked to lower Parkinson’s risk

Increased intake of vitamin B6, from diet and supplements, could cut the risk of Parkinson’s disease by half suggests a prospective study from the Netherlands.

The researchers, from the Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, recruited 5,289 people over the age of 55 and found that those with the highest total vitamin B6 intake had significantly lower risk of developing risk that those with the lowest intake.

The Rotterdam Study looked into reports that increased levels of the amino acid homocysteine might promote Parkinson’s disease. Numerous studies have reported that higher intakes of folate, vitamin B12, and vitamin B6 decrease plasma homocysteine levels and therefore might offer protection from Parkinson’s.

The researchers found that people who had daily vitamin B6 intakes of 230.9 micrograms or more had an associated risk of developing Parkinson’s disease 54 per cent lower than people who had average daily intakes lower than 185.1 micrograms.

The results are published in the journal Neurology (Vol. 67, pp. 315-318).

Courtesy of nutraingredients.com