An article to appear in the October, 2007 issue of the journal Nature Reviews Neuroscience 1 will present the strongest evidence to date that a form of vitamin A known as retinoic acid may be of value in the treatment of conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.
While vitamin A-complex (meaning the vitamin itself as well as chemically-related organic compounds) has long been known to be essential for normal cell growth and efficiency, the report is the first to link the substance with a reduced rate of cell loss in the brain and an enhanced ability to repair and/or re-grow damaged nerve cells. Earlier research had demonstrated that a breakdown in the mechanisms by which these substances are transported from the intestine to the brain could be involved in Alzheimer’s disease. 2
Comment
For those who are familiar with the ongoing debate on the value of nutritional supplements in general, the momentum seems to be shifting to those advocating that vitamin A supplements are valuable in slowing down the progression of the broad class of medical conditions known as the neurodegenerative diseases (such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s diseases). However, the above-mentioned report is based on laboratory studies only and not on controlled studies in humans.
It must also be stressed that the use of vitamin A is not without risks in its own right. The “For More Information” links below should be consulted, along with one’s health care provider, before taking any form of vitamin supplements.
For More Information
The National Institutes of Health’s Office of Dietary Supplements’ fact sheet on Vitamin A can be found at http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamina.asp
The US Food and Drug Administration’s information for older consumers regarding dietary supplements and related issues can be found at http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/%7Edms/ds-savv2.html. (This page hasn’t been updated recently, so use your own judgment when considering its contents).
Notes
1. Malcolm Maden: Retinoic acid in the development, regeneration and maintenance of the nervous system, Nature Reviews Neuroscience (October, 2007) 8: 755-765
2. Ann B. Goodman and Arthur B. Pardee: Evidence for defective retinoid transport and function in late onset Alzheimer’s disease, PNAS (March 4, 2003) 100: 5, 2901-2905
