Vitamin Duo Provides HOPE for Huntington’s Disease
By
Dr. Scott Olson, ND
Posted December 12, 2021
Huntington’s disease is a rare nerve disease that affects the lives of thousands of Americans each year.
This genetic disorder can lead to loss of control of movement, sleeplessness, depression, and dementia.
What’s even more tragic? While the symptoms set in for folks in the prime of their lives – their 30s and 40s – living with this condition doesn’t get easier, regardless of your age.
And if you’re a senior living with Huntington’s right now – this is a fact of life.
Thankfully, an exciting new discovery has been made.
In this new study, researchers have found that this vitamin duo can provide hope for folks suffering from Huntington’s disease.
You’ve probably heard of Recommended Daily Allowances (RDAs) or Percent Daily Values (%DV). These are part of the nutrition panel found on vitamin bottles and food packages.
The RDAs were calculated years ago, and technically, they’re still relevant for 97 to 98 percent of people.
But if you have Huntington’s disease, you could be in that small percent that the RDA doesn’t work for.
In a study, published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, researchers found people with Huntington’s disease don’t absorb thiamin (vitamin B1) and biotin (B7) from their diet into their brain cells like the rest of the population.
Strangely, blood tests don’t show a deficiency… but damage to brain cells show that these two vitamins aren’t getting to where they should be.
The researchers identified an altered gene not previously linked to Huntington’s, called SLC19A3, which is a thiamin transporter gene. If you have the disease, the transporter doesn’t work like it’s supposed to, meaning people with this genetic defect need much more thiamin than most people.
So, the researchers developed a study in which they fed high levels of thiamin and biotin to mice. They found that upping the levels of this vitamin duo slowed brain cell damage and even improved motor skills.
This is still tentative research, however.
It may turn out that there is no way to simply eat enough thiamin-containing foods or even take a supplement to overwhelm the problem with the gene, but it’s still an exciting development for a disease that’s been deemed hopeless by the mainstream.
In the meantime, make sure you have a good support system for managing Huntington’s disease, including physical therapy and talk therapy for depression.
Written By Dr. Scott Olson, ND
Nearly 25 years ago, failed mainstream medical treatments left Dr. Olson in constant pain – and his health in ruins. And that’s when he did something REVOLUTIONARY. He began his career in medicine – and dedicated his life to uncovering the true, underlying causes of disease.
Through his innovative medical practices in Tennessee and Colorado, Dr. Olson has helped cure countless seniors from across America of arthritis… heart disease… diabetes… and even cancer. All without risky prescription drugs or painful surgeries.
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