A Simple Vitamin B Treatment to Alleviate Parkinson’s Symptoms? New Study May Change Disease Management Approaches

Parkinson's disease is not limited to tremors and muscle rigidity. It is often accompanied, years before the first motor symptoms, digestive disorders such as constipation or sleep disturbances. This chronology has led scientists to explore the track of an intestinal origin.

A study coordinated by the University of Nagoya analyzed the samples of 94 Japanese patients with Parkinson and 73 healthy people, then compared the results to data from Germany, the United States, China and Taiwan. The researchers observed that, whatever the population studied, certain changes in the bacterial composition of the intestine reduced the ability to synthesize key nutrients. Metagenomic analyzes have notably revealed an impoverishment in genes involved in the production of Riboflavin (vitamin B2) and biotin (vitamin B7), molecules essential to the proper cellular functioning.

These results confirm observations already formulated in previous works, according to which the alterations of the microbiota sometimes precede the appearance of neurological signs by twenty years.

B vitamins as a new therapeutic track

The researchers have identified that the decrease in riboflavin and biotin went hand in hand with a drop in short chain fatty acids and polyamines, two families of molecules essential for the maintenance of a healthy intestinal barrier. When this protective layer thinks, the permeability of the intestine increases, exposing the enteric nervous system to toxins present in the environment, such as some pesticides or cleaning products.

This increased exposure promotes the formation of abnormal aggregates of alpha-synuclein, proteins which then accumulate in neurons producing dopamine, accelerating cerebral degeneration. According to the Nagoya team, this mechanism could explain why some people develop the symptoms of the disease more quickly.

The therapeutic interest of vitamins B, and particularly riboflavin, had already been highlighted in 2003 according to Science Alert, when a study had shown that large doses could improve certain motor functions if they were associated with a reduction in red meat consumption. The new data reinforce this track, stressing that these nutrients could act upstream of the neurodegenerative process, preserving the integrity of the microbiota and the intestinal barrier.

From theory to treatment, the stages still necessary

Although promising, this approach is not just recommending that all patients with Parkinson take food supplements. The results indicate that the composition of the microbiota and the bacteria responsible for the synthesis of vitamins B vary strongly according to the region of the world. For example, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii is involved in this production in Japan, the United States and Germany, while Phocaeicola Vopptus plays this role in China and Taiwan.

This diversity requires personalization of interventions. Researchers are considering, ultimately, to carry out microbiota analyzes or fecal metabolites in order to identify the deficiencies specific to each patient. Those with proven riboflavine or biotin deficit could benefit from targeted supplementation, suitable for their bacterial profile.

In parallel, the authors highlight the importance of limiting exposure to environmental pollutants likely to damage the intestinal barrier. A diet promoting microbial diversity and natural production of B vitamins could supplement this strategy. If these works are still only in the beginnings, they trace the prospect of care where the intestine would become a central lever in the fight against the progression of Parkinson.