Vitamins and Natural Substances - Tardive Dyskinesia Treatment

There are many people who consider vitamins and "natural substances" such as herbal supplements to be preferable to the many pharmaceutical products on the market. First of all, vitamin supplements are usually unnecessary if one is eating properly, which means a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains.

Secondly, most pharmaceuticals contain the same compounds as seeds, herbs and roots because they are derived from these plants. As a result, they can have similar interactions if not taken properly. In most cases, the main difference between a "synthesized" pharmaceutical drug and an herbal supplement is that while the latter may contain several different compounds, a synthesized drug is usually an isolate of one compound which is highly concentrated. Patients who suffer from tardive dyskinesia may be interested to know about some of the alternative treatments for managing symptoms that are currently being explored.

Vitamins and Vitamin Supplements

Since tardive dyskinesia is the result of drugs designed to block neurotransmitters (brain chemicals that transmit signals to the muscles and organ systems – primarily dopamine and serotonin), it would seem logical that one solution would be to enable these to function properly. Vitamin B6, or pyridoxine, is one that is necessary for the production of serotonin and the formation of myelin (an important part of the nervous system).

Given the high rate of consumption of processed foods in the U.S., it should not be surprising that Vitamin B6 deficiency is common. Foods that contain high amounts of pyridoxine are:

Whole grains
Legumes (beans, peas and peanuts)
Carrots
Spinach
Potatoes
Eggs
Dairy products

Vitamin B6 is also an anti-oxidant, which may be helpful for the management of tardive dyskinesia symptoms. Preliminary research suggests that some tardive dyskinesia patients benefit from taking pyridoxine supplements, but results are not yet conclusive. It should be noted that while Vitamin B6 is safe in low to moderate does (or when absorbed through food), but excessive doses may cause allergic reactions in some individuals as well as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and headaches.

Vitamin E is also an anti-oxidant, which is known to neutralize destructive "free radicals" (highly reactive oxygen molecules). There is evidence indicating that such free radicals may in fact pay a part in the development of tardive dyskinesia symptoms.

Between 1987 and 1999, several studies were conducted to determine the effectiveness of Vitamin E in the management of tardive dyskinesia. Results were mixed as some patients seemed to respond well where a large study involving more than 100 subjects failed to find that Vitamin E made any difference. Vitamin E may or may not help tardive dyskinesia symptoms, but since there is little harm in taking it, patients may wish to discuss this option with their doctor.

Vitamins and Prevention

In one study spanning two decades, 60,000 patients under the care of 80 psychiatrists who were treating their patients with typical anti-psychotic medications while concurrently administering high doses of vitamin supplements. These supplements included:

Vitamin C
Niacin
Vitamin B6
Vitamin E

Significantly, only 34 out of the 60,000 patients developed symptoms of tardive dyskinesia. It should be noted however that this study was not carried out under clinical conditions.

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