Vitamin B₁₂Metabolism and Massive-Dose Methyl Vitamin B₁₂ Therapy in Japanese Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

Serum vitamin B₁₂ levels and unsaturated vitamin B₁₂ binding capacities were measured in 24 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), 73 patients with other neurological disorders and 21 healthy subjects. There was no decrease in the vitamin B₁₂ levels, however, a significant decrease in the unsaturated vitamin B₁₂ binding capacities was observed in patients with MS when compared with other groups. A massive dose of methyl vitamin B₁₂ (60 mg every day for 6 months) was administered to 6 patients with chronic progressive MS, a disease which usually had a morbid prognosis and widespread demyelination in the central nervous system. Although the motor disability did not improve clinically, the abnormalities in both the visual and brainstem auditory evoked potentials improved more frequently during the therapy than in the pre-treatment period. We therefore consider that a massive dose methyl vitamin B₁₂ therapy may be useful as an adjunct to immunosuppressive treatment for chronic progressive MS.