While doctors and researchers have learned a lot about Parkinson's disease over the past several decades, the exact cause of the disorder is still unknown. Scientists have long believed that people's genetics play a significant role in developing the neurodegenerative disease, along with a number of environmental risk factors. But now, new research is shining light on another potential contributing factor to Parkinson's disease: vitamin deficiencies.
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A May 2024 study published in the npj Parkinson's Disease journal aimed to "identify gut microbial features" in people who develop the disorder. For the study, researchers conducted a meta-analysis using fecal samples from 94 patients with Parkinson's disease and 73 healthy controls in Japan. They then compared their findings with previous data from the U.S., Germany, China, and Taiwan.
According to the study, those with Parkinson's disease were found to have a noticeable lack of bacterial genes that could contribute to the potential deficiency of two important B vitamins, riboflavin (B2) and biotin (B7).
"Pathway analysis showed that genes in the biosyntheses of riboflavin and biotin were markedly decreased in Parkinson's disease after adjusting for confounding factors," the researchers wrote.
B2, or riboflavin, is a B-complex vitamin that is found in things like meat, fortified grains, and nuts, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
"Riboflavin is an essential micronutrient that helps cells develop and work well," registered dietitian Kayla Kopp, RD, tells the Cleveland Clinic. "Healthy bacteria in your gut microbiome make small amounts of riboflavin. But your body needs more to function. That’s why it’s important to get enough of this B vitamin in your diet every day."
The researchers for the new study also noted that riboflavin is known to improve "oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, neuroinflammation, and glutamate excitotoxicity," all of which are linked to the development of Parkinson's disease.
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B7, or biotin, is another B-complex vitamin which you can get from eating meat, eggs, fish, seeds, nuts, and some vegetables, according to WebMD. This vitamin supports your nervous system, liver, eyes, hair, and skin.
Biotin also "produces anti-inflammatory substances and decreases inflammation, which leads to the relief of allergy, immunological symptoms, and inflammatory bowel disease," the researchers noted in their study.
Due to the health impacts of these vitamin deficiencies, the researchers concluded that people with Parkinson's disease might benefit from taking vitamin B supplements.
"Supplementation of riboflavin and/or biotin is likely to be beneficial in a subset of Parkinson's disease patients, in which gut dysbiosis plays pivotal roles," they wrote.
Some experts caution taking this study at face value and immediately following the recommendations of the researchers.
"I think these data are much too premature to warrant therapeutic interventions," Tim Sampson, PhD, assistant professor in the department of Cell Biology at Emory University School of Medicine, told Medical News Today. "They highlight one of the many ways that the gut microbiome might be contributing to [Parkinson’s]."
