February 19, 2026

@michaelokun

Does vitamin B12 play a role in Parkinson’s disease risk? What do the genes tell us? Vitamin B12 metabolism refers to how the body absorbs, transports and uses vitamin B12, which is essential for nerve function and energy production. Dering and colleagues describe in a new paper in Neurology Genetics how genes involved in vitamin B12 metabolism may relate to Parkinson’s disease risk, onset and progression. Key Points: – Genetic variants in vitamin B12 metabolism genes were not linked to increased Parkinson’s disease risk. The authors analyzed thousands of cases and controls. – No causal relationship was found between vitamin B12 levels and Parkinson’s disease risk, age at onset or disease progression. – Epidemiologic studies show lower B12 levels in PD, however this may reflect disease related factors like gut dysfunction, nutrition changes or microbiome differences, rather than genetic causes. My take: This study tackles a question that many folks and health care providers ask frequently. Vitamin B12 is critical for nerve health and metabolism, and prior studies have suggested it may interact w/ alpha synuclein and mitochondrial pathways. However, this large genetic analysis suggests that inherited differences in B12 metabolism likely do not drive Parkinson’s disease risk. The findings should shift the focus toward environmental, nutritional and disease related factors, rather than genetic predisposition when considering B12 as a factor. REMINDER: You do need to replace vitamin B12 and B6 if you are on dopamine replacement therapy, and have your provider regularly check these vitamin levels and your homocysteine level. Here are 5 points that resonated w/ me: 1- Low vitamin B12 levels frequently occur in PD, however genetics does not appear to be the main reason. 2- Changes in digestion, nutrition and gut health may influence B12 levels as PD progresses. 3- Vitamin B12 remains essential for nerve function, and deficiency can cause neurologic symptoms. 4- Addressing vitamin B12 deficiency remains important for symptom management. 5- The future will require separating genetic risk from modifiable factors. #michaelokun #fixelinstitute #parkinson