A HIGHER DIETARY INTAKE OF VITAMIN B6 MAY DECREASE THE RISK OF PARKINSON)S DISEASE A STUDY SUGGESTS ACCORDING TO REUTERS0 AMONG MORE THAN 0005 PEOPLE DUTCH RESEARCHERS FOUND THOSE WHO REPORTED TAKING IN THE MOST VITAMIN B6 WERE ABOUT HALF AS LIKELY AS THOSE WHO CONSUMED THE LEAST TO DEVELOP PARKINSON)S DISEASE0 VITAMIN B6 IS ESSENTIAL FOR METABOLISM OF PROTEIN AND PROPER IMMUNE AND NERVOUS SYSTEM FUNCTION AND IS FOUND IN BOTH MEAT AND VEGETABLES0 THERE IS EVIDENCE THAT HIGH LEVELS OF THE AMINO ACID HOMOCYSTEINE COULD CAUSE DAMAGE TO BRAIN CELLS0 TO SEE WHETHER HIGHER INTAKE OF FOLATE AND VITAMINS B6 AND B12 WHICH CAN REDUCE HOMOCYSTEINE LEVELS WOULD ALSO REDUCE PARKINSON)S RISK RESEARCHERS FOLLOWED 2895 MEN AND WOMEN AGED 55 AND OLDER WHO WERE FREE OF THE DISEASE AT THE STUDY)S OUTSET0 DURING NEARLY 10 YEARS OF FOLLOW UP 72 PEOPLE DEVELOPED PARKINSON)S DISEASE DR0 MONIQUE M0 B0 BRETELER OF ERASMUS MEDICAL CENTER IN ROTTERDAM AND COLLEAGUES REPORT IN THE JOURNAL NEUROLOGY0 THE RESEARCHERS FOUND NO ASSOCIATION BETWEEN CONSUMPTION OF B12 OR FOLIC ACID AND RISK OF DEVELOPING THE DISEASE0 HOWEVER THE MORE B6 PEOPLE CONSUMED THE LOWER THEIR RISK0 THOSE IN THE HIGHEST THIRD OF VITAMIN B6 INTAKE WERE 54 PERCENT LESS LIKELY TO DEVELOP THE DISEASE COMPARED TO THOSE IN THE LOWEST THIRD0 A CLOSER LOOK SUGGESTED THAT THIS RELATIONSHIP WAS ONLY STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT FOR SMOKERS0 THE FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT THE NUTRIENT COULD LOWER PARKINSON)S DISEASE RISK NOT BY AFFECTING HOMOCYSTEINE LEVELS BUT BY PROTECTING BRAIN CELLS FROM DAMAGE CAUSED BY HARMFUL BY-PRODUCTS OF METABOLISM KNOWN AS FREE RADICALS BRETELER AND HER TEAM PROPOSE0 THEY NOTE THAT SEVERAL STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT SMOKING ACTUALLY CUTS PARKINSON)S RISK POSSIBLY DUE TO BRAIN-CELL-PROTECTING PROPERTIES OF NICOTINE0 THE STUDY DOESN)T RULE OUT THE POSSIBILITY THAT B12 AND FOLATE COULD ALSO BE PROTECTIVE THE RESEARCHERS POINT OUT0 TO PROVIDE A MORE DEFINITIVE ANSWER THEY ADD STUDIES MUST BE CONDUCTED THAT LOOK AT LEVELS OF THE NUTRIENTS IN THE BLOOD WHICH IS A MORE SENSITIVE INDICATOR OF THEIR EFFECTS0
