B-6 Injections?

[Anonymous]

A friend of mine told me that she had read somewhere that people with Parkinson's disease sometimes get injections of vitamin B6 as an alternative therapy to DAs. It's supposed to stimulate dopamine in the brain or something. Anyone heard of this?

[ksxroads]

I have recently read that B6 was helpful in treating carpal tunnel syndrome... so I thought I'd look up some facts...

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002402.htm
Vitamin B-6 plays a role in the synthesis of antibodies by the immune system. Antibodies are needed to fight many diseases. Vitamin B-6 helps maintain normal nerve function and also acts in the formation of red blood cells. It is also required for the chemical reactions needed to digest proteins. The higher the protein intake, the more the need for vitamin B-6.

Food Sources

Vitamin B-6 is found in beans, nuts, legumes, eggs, meats, fish, whole grains, and fortified breads and cereals.

Side Effects

Large doses of vitamin B-6 can cause neurological disorders and numbness. Deficiency of this vitamin can cause mouth and tongue sores, irritability, confusion, and depression. (Vitamin B-6 deficiency is not common in the United States.)

Recommendations

The average diet supplies adequate vitamin B-6.



http://www.nutrition4health.org/NOHAnews/NNSp99B6.html
. . . published studies show [vitamin B6] benefits in conditions of edema and water retention, magnesium deficiency, peripheral neuropathy, carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, rheumatism, cardiovascular occlusions and myocardial infarcts, learning and developmental disorders, and autism.


http://www.home.caregroup.org/clinical/altmed/interactions/Nutrients/Vitamin_B6.htm
known or potential therapeutic uses: Acne, alcohol withdrawal support, asthma, attention deficit disorder, autism, carpal tunnel syndrome, celiac disease, coronary heart disease, dementia, depression (associated with birth control pills), diabetes mellitus, diabetic neuropathy, elevated homocysteine, HIV support, hypoglycemia, infant seizures, iron-resistant anemia, kidney stones, monosodium glutamate (MSG) sensitivity, nausea of pregnancy, photosensitivity, premenstrual syndrome, retinopathy, rheumatism, seborrheic dermatitis, sickle cell anemia, sideroblastic anemia, tardive dyskinesia, toxemia of pregnancy.


http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/vitamins/vitaminB6/
Nervous system function

The synthesis of the neurotransmitter, serotonin, from the amino acid, tryptophan, in the brain is catalyzed by a PLP-dependent enzyme. Other neurotransmitters such as dopamine, norepinephrine and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) are also synthesized using PLP-dependent enzymes (2).

Toxicity

Because adverse effects have only been documented from vitamin B6 supplements and never from food sources, only the supplemental form of vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) is discussed with respect to safety. Although vitamin B6 is a water-soluble vitamin and is excreted in the urine, very high doses of pyridoxine over long periods of time may result in painful neurological symptoms known as sensory neuropathy. Symptoms include pain and numbness of the extremities, and in severe cases difficulty walking. Sensory neuropathy typically develops at doses of pyridoxine in excess of 1,000 mg per day. However, there have been a few case reports of individuals who developed sensory neuropathies at doses of less than 500 mg daily over a period of months. None of the studies, in which an objective neurological examination was performed, found evidence of sensory nerve damage at intakes of pyridoxine below 200 mg/day (15). In order to prevent sensory neuropathy in virtually all individuals, the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine set the tolerable upper intake level (UL) for pyridoxine at 100 mg/day for adults (see table below) (4). Because placebo-controlled studies have generally failed to show therapeutic benefits of high doses of pyridoxine, there is little reason to exceed the UL of 100 mg/day.

Drug interactions

Certain medications, interfere with the metabolism of vitamin B6, and may result in deficiency if individuals taking such medications are not given supplemental vitamin B6. The anti-tuberculosis medications, isoniazid and cycloserine, the metal chelator, penicillamine, and antiparkinsonian drugs, including L-dopa, form complexes with vitamin B6, creating a functional deficiency. The efficacy of other medications may be altered by high doses of vitamin B6. High doses of vitamin B6 have been found to decrease the efficacy of the anticonvulsants, phenobarbitol and phenytoin, and L-dopa (2, 15).

Food Serving Vitamin B6 (mg)
Fortified cereal 1 cup 0.5-2.5
Banana 1 medium 0.68
Salmon 3 ounces* 0.48
Turkey, without skin 3 ounces 0.39
Chicken, light meat without skin 3 ounces 0.46
Potato, baked, with skin 1 medium 0.70
Spinach, cooked 1 cup 0.44
Hazelnuts, dry roasted 1 ounce 0.18
Vegetable juice cocktail 6 ounces 0.25

*A 3-ounce serving of meat or fish is about the size of a deck of cards.



Just some areas for thought... Hazel

[ksxroads]

Mayo Clinic information

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/vitami ... patient-b6

Strong scientific evidence for this use:
Hereditary sideroblastic anemia, preventing adverse effects in people taking cycloserine (Seromycin), Pyridoxine deficiency/neuritis, Pyridoxine-dependent seizures in newborns,

Unclear scientific evidence for this use
Akathisia (movement disorider) Tardive dyskinesia, Preventing vitamine B6 deficiency associated with taking birth control pills, Premenstrual syndrome, pregnancy induced nausea and vomiting, lung cancer, kidney stones, immune system function, hyperkinetic cerebral dysfunction syndrome, depression, carpal tunnel syndrome, cardiovascular disease/hyperhomocysteinemia, birth outcomes, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, asthma, angioplasty

[ksxroads]

There are reports of improvement in restless leg syndrome (RLS) with use of folate supplements; this has not as yet been studied thoroughly, so it is too early to say whether there is a definite link. However, people with PD often complain of RLS, and physicians should rule out the possibility of folic acid deficiency. Signs of folic acid deficiency include appetite loss, weight loss, burning tongue, fatigue, weakness, shortness of breach, memory loss, irritability, megaloblastic anemia, and increased levels of serum homocysteine.

for entire article:

http://www.parkinson.org/site/pp.asp?c= ... B&b=100148

Parkinson's, B6, B12, and Folate - What's the Connection?
Kathrynne Holden, MS, RD
Copyright 2000

Ms. Holden is a registered dietitian specializing in Parkinson's disease. She has published research, books, articles, and manuals on nutrition and PD, including "Eat well, stay well with Parkinson's disease." She moderates the NPF forum Ask the Parkinson Dietitian at: Ask The Dietician

In the past decade, there has been increasing interest amongresearchers about the effects of three B vitamins - B6, B12, and folate. We now know that deficiencies occur with greater frequency than ever suspected previously, particularly in older adults. We also now know that deficiencies, if not corrected, can result in irreversible damage
in some people. Some health professionals are beginning to suspect that these three vitamins may be significant factors in Parkinson's disease.


Hazel

[ksxroads]

Excerpt from above mentioned article...

For people who use a medication that contains levodopa (such as Sinemet, Madopar, Syndopa, Larodopa, etc.), you should be aware that large amounts of vitamin B6 (more than 15 mg) can affect the absorption of levodopa, by converting levodopa to dopamine in the stomach and bloodstream. Dopamine cannot cross the blood-brain barrier, so it iseffectively blocked from its purpose.

Sinemet and Madopar contain either carbidopa or benserazide, which "protect" the levodopa from B6; so ordinary supplements of B6 should not be a problem for most people. However, very large amounts of B6, greater than 15 mg (and in sensitive persons, possibly as low as 10 mg), could overwhelm the protective effects of the carbidopa or benserazide. Such a supplement should be taken at bedtime with a light snack, or with meals at least two hours separately from levodopa.

Take a B complex supplement if deficiencies occur; and take the supplement separately from levodopa by at least two hours, preferably with meals or a snack.