Parkinson's diseaseTreatment

There appears to be one report of treating persons with Parkinson's disease (PD) with vitamin D. In a case report from France:

Although the patient was treated with levodopa 750 mg daily, bromocriptine 20 mg daily, and trihexyphenidyle 10 mg daily during 3 years, no clinical benefit was obtained. He was then hospitalized at age 50.

Laboratory studies gave the following results: serum calcium 2.07 mmol/L (normal 2.15-2.60 mmoliL) and phosphorus 0.57 mmol/L (normal 0.9-1.4 mmoVL). The parathyroid hormone (1-84) level was within normal limits: 15 ng/L (normal 10-65 ng/L). Baseline 25-(OH) vitamin D, value was rather low: 33 nmol/L (normal 22-88 nmol/L). Urinary 24-h calcium and phosphorus values were both low (0.69 and 9.30 mmo1/24 h). The same abnormalities were observed despite several eterminations.

After the addition of 25-(OH) vitamin D, (4,000 IU daily) and calcium supplements (1 g daily) to the ongoing conventional antiparkinsonian therapy, serum and urinary calcium and phosphorus values progressively normalized as well as serum 25-(OH) and 1,25-(OH), vitamin D,. The parkinsonism improved significantly during the following year with decreased rigidity and akinesia, and the antiparkinsonian drugs could be restricted to levodopa 375 mg daily. At 1-year follow-up, neurological examination revealed moderate rigidity without tremor1. 

Many with PD have low serum 25(OH)D levels2 and often have low bone mass density or osteoporosis3, it seems advisable that those with PD obtain vitamin D from UVB irradiance or supplements and seek to raise serum 25(OH)D levels to 40-60 ng/mL.

Page last edited: 03 May 2011

References

  1. Derex, L. Trouillas, P. Reversible parkinsonism, hypophosphoremia, and hypocalcemia under vitamin D therapy. Mov Disord. 1997 Jul; 12 (4): 612-3.
  2. Evatt, M. L. Delong, M. R. Khazai, N. Rosen, A. Triche, S. Tangpricha, V. Prevalence of vitamin d insufficiency in patients with Parkinson disease and Alzheimer disease. Arch Neurol. 2008 Oct; 65 (10): 1348-52.
  3. Invernizzi, M. Carda, S. Viscontini, G. S. Cisari, C. Osteoporosis in Parkinson's disease. Parkinsonism Relat Disord. 2009 Jun; 15 (5): 339-46.