The nervous system requires a variety of vitamins to function properly. Certain vitamins are crucial to the normal functioning of the adult nervous system, while other vitamins greatly affect its embryonic development. When the diet is deficient in these vitamins, people can suffer profound deleterious effects to the brain, spinal cord or peripheral nerves.
Vitamin B-6
Vitamin B-6 is a water-soluble vitamin available in foods such as fruits, vegetables, beans, meats, poultry and fish. The vitamin exists in one of three forms: pyridoxine, pyridoxamine and pyridoxal. The Office of Dietary Supplements of the National Institutes of Health says fortified foods and supplements are the best sources of this vitamin.
Vitamin B-6 plays an important role in enzyme production for manufacturing proteins. It also plays a major role in the immune system and red blood cell metabolism. With regard to the nervous system, vitamin B-6 is necessary for the synthesis of the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine. It is also being investigated for its role in conditions such as Parkinson's disease, depression, seizures, headache and chronic pain, according to the National Institutes of Health. Neuropathy, or sensory and motor impairment, can also result with a dietary deficiency of vitamin B-6, although higher doses of the vitamin can actually result in neuropathy. The Office of Dietary Supplements of the National Institutes of Health notes that vitamin B-6 was once recommended to treat carpal tunnel syndrome, although studies have yet to prove its effectiveness for this condition.
The Recommended Dietary Allowance of vitamin B-6 is 1.3 mg for adults aged 19 to 50 years,1.5 mg for women age 51 and older, and 1.7 mg for men age 51 and older.
Vitamin B-12
Vitamin B-12 is also water-soluble and can be obtained as a supplement or from foods such as meats, fish, poultry, and egg and milk products. This vitamin is important for optimal cell function and DNA synthesis as well as the manufacture of red blood cells.
Deficiency of vitamin B-12 can result in central and peripheral nervous system dysfunctions, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements. Dementia and psychosis are examples of brain dysfunctions associated with vitamin B-12 deficiency. Spasticity, walking difficulty and coordination problems can also result when the spinal cord is affected by vitamin B-12 deficiency. In peripheral nerves, numbness and weakness can result, and in more severe cases vitamin B-12 deficiency may result in genitourinary dysfunction.
The Recommended Dietary Allowance for vitamin B-12 is 2.4 micrograms for adults, as suggested by the Office of Dietary Supplements.
Folic Acid
Folic acid is also known as vitamin B-9. It can be taken as an oral supplement or in foods in its native form, called folate. In the nervous system, it plays a major role in embryonic development. The embryonic nervous system, called the neural tube, requires folic acid to develop normally. This is a primary step in forming the normal brain and spinal cord. If the mother's diet is deficient in folic acid, the neural tube will not develop properly. The results can be birth defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly. Spina bifida is a malformation of the spine, resulting in exteriorization of the spinal cord. Anencephaly is a malformation of the skull resulting in exteriorization of the brain.
To prevent these malformations, the National Institutes of Health recommends a daily dietary intake of 600 micrograms of folic acid prior to pregnancy and in pregnant women.
References
- National Institutes of Health: Office of Dietary Supplements: Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin B6
- Internet Journal of Nutrition and Wellness
- National Institutes of Health: Office of Dietary Supplements: Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin B12
- National Institutes of Health: Office of Dietary Supplements: Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Folate
