And unfortunately, it‘s far too easy to become deficient in this vitamin. Older adults and alcoholics in particular, are prone to low levels. Additionally, commonly used drugs -- such as corticosteroids, birth control pills, oral estrogen, diuretics, and Tamoxifin (used to treat breast cancer) -- can deplete your levels even more.

How do you know if you‘re deficient in this vitamin? Well, your body often raises a red flag. More about that red flag in a moment...

Parkinson‘s disease is so hard to treat, nutritionists focus on prevention

Parkinson‘s disease typically strikes men and women in their 50s and 60s and your risk increases with age. But it affects younger people as well.

It begins when the cells in the brain that produce a chemical messenger (called dopamine) die or become impaired. Trademark symptoms of the disease include tremor, muscle stiffness, and slow movements. And as I mentioned earlier, once you‘ve reached this stage, treatments for the disease are limited and unproven.

Neurologists use drugs -- like Levadopa -- to slow the progression of the disease. But your body can become immune to these drugs over time. There‘s also been limited success using surgery -- such as deep brain stimulation -- to treat the disease. In addition, scientists have experimented with stem cells to treat Parkinson‘s disease patients. Politics aside, these procedures are still highly experimental and not widely available. Plus the verdict is still out on how effective they really are.

Now, here‘s the good news: two solid studies done over the last five years connect a vitamin deficiency with an increased risk of developing Parkinson‘s disease.

B6 slashes risk of Parkinson‘s disease in half

In the first study, Japanese scientists recruited 249 adults with Parkinson‘s disease and 368 healthy patients to answer questions about their diet. When the scientists analyzed the data, they found that men and women with low B6 intake were 50 percent more likely to have the disease.

Back in 2006, Dutch researchers came up with the same results. Their study involved more than 5,000 men and women over 55. They found that those with daily B6 intake of more than 230 micrograms (mcg) had a 54 percent lower risk of Parkinson‘s disease when compared to those with daily intake lower than 185.1 mcg.

So what‘s the bottom line here? Well, we all know too well that Parkinson‘s is very difficult to treat, much less cure. So focusing on prevention is essential. And from these two solid studies, it looks like B6 is one major key to preventing this brutal disease.

Now why‘s B6 so important?

First off, all the B vitamins play a role in cell metabolism. B6 also regulates an amino acid called homocysteine. In fact, scientists believe that when you don‘t get enough B6 your homocysteine levels skyrocket. And too much homocysteine is not a good thing. Some evidence shows that homocysteine can kill cells that produce dopamine in the body.

One sign that you‘re not getting enough B6 is splitting or cuts at the corners of your mouth. Also, if you suffer from the scalp condition seborrhea or eczema, it could also be a sign you‘re low in B6.

So without a doubt, we should all strive to get more of it into our diets. It‘s a water-soluble vitamin, so you must replenish its supply each and every day. Major food sources of B6 include bananas, sweet potatoes (with the skin), bell peppers, garlic, carrots, spinach, meat, and fish.

Unfortunately, drinking alcohol lessens your body‘s ability to absorb B6. Plus, as we get older, our bodies tend to absorb less of the nutrient from the foods we eat. So if you‘re over 50, you may want to consider adding a B-complex supplement to your regimen as some added insurance against Parkinson‘s. I would recommend taking 50 to 100 mg of a good B complex vitamin each day. (If your multi already includes that much B, you‘re all set!)

And -- yes -- that‘s much higher than the amounts cited in the two B6 studies. But remember, these are water-soluble vitamins! You wash away any excess by the end of the day, so there‘s little risk of an overdose.