Parkinson's Link to Gut Bacteria Hints at an Unexpected, Simple Treatment
Science Alert 08 August 2025 By Tessa Koumoundouros
https://www.sciencealert.com/parkinsons-link-to-gut-bacteria-hints-at-an-unexpected-simple-treatmentA recent study identified gut microbes likely to be involved and linked them with decreased riboflavin ( vitamin B2) and biotin (vitamin B7), suggesting an unexpectedly simple treatment that may help: B vitamins.
"Supplementation therapy targeting riboflavin and biotin holds promise as a potential therapeutic avenue for alleviating PD symptoms and slowing disease progression," Nagoya University medical researcher Hiroshi Nishiwaki said when the study was published in May 2024.Symptoms typically begin with constipation and sleep problems, up to 20 years before progressing into dementia and the debilitating loss of muscle control.
Previous research found people with Parkinson's disease also experience changes in their microbiome long before other signs appear.Analyzing fecal samples from 94 patients with Parkinson's disease and 73 relatively healthy controls in Japan, Nishiwaki and team compared their results with data from China, Taiwan, Germany, and the US.
While different groups of bacteria were involved in the different countries examined, they all influenced pathways that synthesize B vitamins in the body.
They suspect the weakened protective layer exposes the intestinal nervous system to more of the toxins we now encounter more regularly. These include cleaning chemicals, pesticides, and herbicides.
Such toxins lead to the overproduction of α-synuclein fibrils – molecules known to amass in dopamine-producing cells in the substantia nigra part of our brains, and increased nervous system inflammation, eventually leading to the more debilitating motor and dementia symptoms of Parkinson's.
A 2003 study found high doses of riboflavin can assist in recovering some motor functions in patients who also eliminated red meat from their diets.
The researchers found the changes in gut bacteria communities were associated with a decrease in riboflavin and biotin in people with Parkinson's disease.
This all suggests healthy gut microbiomes may also prove protective, and reducing the toxic pollutants in our environment may help too.
Of course, with such a complicated chain of events involved in Parkinson's disease, it's likely that not all patients experience the same causes, so each individual would need to be assessed.
