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Camilla Flintermann wrote: > This inquiry from a friend on another list raises a question I can't > answer--any light to shed? > For years, my father had a Parkinsonian type tremor, that was treated > successfully for a time with L-DOPA. However, we later discovered that > the cause of the difficulties was not PD, but was instead acute > megaloblastic anemia. The symptoms are quite similar, except that the > anemia in its later stages is characterized by dementia. Dear Camilla, Yes, megaloblastic anemia is not at all infrequent in older adults. It's caused by a deficiency of vitamin B12, which is found in animal products (meat, poultry, fish, milk). B12 is stored in the body and "recycled" very efficiently. A person who gets no B12 in the diet (or who does not absorb B12 well) may not exhibit symptoms of deficiency for years due to this efficient recycling mechanism. And the symptoms may develop so slowly and gradually that they are mistaken for the aging process. Symptoms may mimic an Alzheimer's-type dementia. During the Depression and WWII in the United States, meat was scarce for many people. That could have resulted in the problems your friend describes. RDs are concerned for older adults, because absorption of B12 requires stomach acids. These acids often diminish with age, so older adults may ingest sufficient B12 but are unable to absorb it. A blood test can determine whether the person is deficient in B12. This is one of the screens I have incorporated in my study on nutrition and PD. I'm not aware of a direct link between B vitamin deficiency and PD. However, people have been mis-diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease because of B12 deficiency, and there are some similarities between AD and PD. If not too far advanced, a B12 deficiency can be corrected, either by vitamin supplements or injections. It's my belief that all older adults should be routinely screened for vitamin deficiencies, including B12. Best regards, Kathrynne Holden, MS, RD Editor-in-Chief, "Spotlight on Food--nutrition news for people 60-plus" Tel: 970-493-6532 Fax: 970-493-6538 http://www.fortnet.org/~fivstar You may wish to contact: Better Business Bureau of the Mountain States, < [log in to unmask]> for further information.