January 15, 2026

@michaelokun

B vitamins and Parkinson’s survival: The timing may matter. Spoiler alert: Earlier is better. Mortality means the risk of death over time. Xinyuan Zhang and colleagues describe in a new paper in Movement Disorders how intake of folate, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 before and after Parkinson’s disease diagnosis related to survival. Key points - Higher intake of folate and vitamin B6 before Parkinson’s diagnosis was linked to a lower risk of death. - Vitamin B12 showed a similar direction of benefit before diagnosis, however results were weaker. - Intake of these vitamins after diagnosis was not associated w/ survival. My take: This study reinforces a theme we see again and again in Parkinson’s. Earlier matters. Nutrition exposures years before diagnosis may shape later resilience. Supplements are not a cure, however timing and biology appear to matter. These vitamins are also critical if on levodopa as your homocysteine levels can rise and affect vascular and cognitive health. Do not however, overdose on B6 as this can lead to neuropathy! Here are 5 points that resonated w/ me: 1- Parkinson’s likely begins decades before diagnosis and nutrition during this window may influence outcomes. 2- Folate and vitamin B6 stood out as most consistently linked to longer survival. 3- Post diagnosis vitamin intake did not change outcomes which underscores limits of late intervention. 4- Folks should view vitamins as part of a broader brain health strategy not a standalone fix. 5- This work supports prevention focused trials that start earlier and aim to protect brain networks before major damage occurs. https://movementdisorders.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/mds.70178 #michaelokun #fixelinstitute #parkinson #vitamins