Actually B1 is used in high dosages by itself for various things like anxiety. It is not one of the methylating B vitamins like B9 or B6 or B12 so it shouldn't be a problem by itself.

Hi BioBased

Can you recommend any links to threads or sites that provide an overall 'picture' of all the B vitamins balance requirements. This is something I've wanted to find out more about but usually only come across info about individual B vitamins. Thanks

My friend who is a therapist, who studied nutrition, is a believer in the short term use of a B complex to help certain patients. She encourages everyone to see a holistic MD, who can best determine specific needs, and she is adamant that taking one B alone could be problematic.

This site goes into great detail about the B vitamins, the use of individual B's and the use of a B complex.
http://www.acu-cell.com/bx.html. (There is more than one page of information)

I like Chia seeds for regularity, because they are packed with protein, not to mention the smooth move from the gel they create. Also, prunes, because they are also good for bone building. If you can get a twofer using food, why use something else that has the potential to throw your chemistry out of sync?

http://www.supernutritionlife.com/ch...enefits-fiber/


http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/got...l-bone-builder

The only side effects are that my voice is strong/deep like it was before PD and constipation is no longer a problem. I believe B1 is necessary for the mitochondria to produce energy using ATP. It hasn't taken my tremor away, but fixing 2 out 3 of my main problems isn't bad.

Hi Biobased
Thanks for those links - very useful. The whole B supplementation thing gets quite complex and that 1st link explains it well. Basically supplementing B vitamins needs to be tailored to an individual's requirements ie: the one-size-fits-all OTC multi formulas may not be that useful. At this point I can only try to optimize my diet to get sufficient B's of all types as testing for separate B levels in my country is not supported by doctors. (under a public health system).

Blues fan,

My mother had PD and was addicted to Xanax, this addiction started prior to PD diagonosis. She had off the charts anxiety and disturbed sleep, besides the severe constipation.

I was her main caregiver and it was a difficult job, until she agreed to give up Xanax. The doctors were not helpful. We had to DIY using a protocol I found on the Internet.

It took over a month to get her off the drug, but it was worth it, because once we got through this and "optimized"-as you said- her diet, she improved. Her anxiety lessened, as did her tremor, she slept better. The only drug she took after this was Sinemet.

Biobased, you might consider getting some genetic testing for the MTHFR gene mutation. Like you I have responded well to B vitamins and after tuning my protocol I have made real progress. Not that you should emulate it but you can if you wish .. I've ordered them by my own priority.

75-100 mg of B2, taken in 3 steps thru the day and evening
1 to 3 mg of optimized folate (methylated B9 acts really well on tremor)
100 mg pyridoxal 5'-phospate (methylated B6)
50 mg allithiamine (the only B1 that penetrates the blood brain barrier)
1 mg methyl cobalamin (methylated B12, if you take folate you need to take this as well)

I found that I have the double mutation of MTHFR, so it's worse than most. It's estimated that 30-40% of Americans have the single MTHFR mutation which isn't as bad but still a problem. You'll notice that I take methylated version of the B vitamins and they make a real difference for me.

B complex pills have never worked for me in my entire life. I think that the reason for that is that they include all kinds of B vitamins and niacin, for example, dampens the methylation process.

There's more of course, but this might get you started on some improvements and if they do make a difference I would say you should get tested from 23andme and then run the results thru Prometheus, which analyses the data into useful results.

Here's a thread of my progress here ..
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread218079.html

BTW, I still do not eat red meat unless it's a small amount that's well cooked. I have found that the hemin in meats thing (part of the B2 study from Brazil) is VERY real for me. Hemin is also used in tinting meat products too so you never know for sure when you'll run into it. Be careful with processed meats like ham or anything that is red, such as processed ham.

Best of luck to everyone!