Type of vitamin B1 could treat common cause of blindness (Uveitis)

GALVESTON, Texas — University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston researchers have discovered that a form of vitamin B1 could become a new and effective treatment for one of the world's leading causes of blindness.

Scientists believe that uveitis, an inflammation of the tissue located just below the outer surface of the eyeball, produces 10 to 15 percent of all cases of blindness in the United States, and causes even higher rates of blindness globally. The inflammation is normally treated with antibiotics or steroid eye drops.

In a paper appearing in the May issue of the journal Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, however, the UTMB researchers describe striking results achieved with benfotiamene, a fat-soluble form of vitamin B1. In their experiments, they first injected laboratory rats with bacterial toxins that ordinarily produce a reaction mimicking uveitis. When those rats are fed benfotiamene, they fail to develop any signs of the inflammatory disorder.

"Benfotiamene strongly suppresses this eye-damaging condition and the biochemical markers we associate with it," said UTMB associate professor Kota V. Ramana, senior author of the study. "We're optimistic that this simple supplementation with vitamin B1 has great potential as a new therapy for this widespread eye disease."

The researchers' data shows benfotiamene works by suppressing the activation of a crucial signaling molecule called NF-kappa B, which is normally triggered by the stress caused by infection. Shutting down NF-kappa B, they said, prevents the runaway production of inflammatory proteins that generates uveitis.

Benfotiamene's low cost, rapid absorption by the body and lack of negative side effects make it an ideal candidate for uveitis prevention, according to Ramana.

"Already, clinical trials have shown that benfotiamene is absorbed better than thiamine [the most common form of vitamin B1] and significantly improved diabetic polyneuropathy in patients, and it's already taken as a supplement for diabetic complications," Ramana said.

I see a lot of kids in our clinic with uveitis. I work with a Pediatric Rheumatologist who manages the meds for these children, since the Ophthalmologists at our medical center aren’t comfortable prescribing for that age group.

Usually they are treated with topical steroid eye drops, but many end up on Methotrexate (a cancer chemotherapy used in lower doses to suppress the immune system and tame down the symptoms), and some even are given Humira or Remicade for uveitis. This vitamin would be MUCH cheaper and much safer.

Wow. This is a very interesting article. I’ve been a chronic victim of uveitis since I was eighteen, getting it at least twice a year until about four years ago.

My ophthalmologist told me it is related to arthritis, so she sent me to a rheumatologist who tested me for a specific gene that predisposes one to it. I did have the gene, but so far have not developed the arthritis that usually shows up in your thirties.

I was a contact lense wearer, which the doctor said had nothing to do with bringing on the episodes. I was one of her two worst patients. Finally we were both in for an appointment on the same afternoon and the doctor introduced us. This woman had had uveitis for seven years straight. I had had bouts which lasted four or five months, but not years. Oral steroids and topical steroidal drops sometimes were not enough, so I eventually caved and (don’t wince) let the doctor give me shots in the eye. (Numbing drops were used, which worked quite well, and it’s not like you see the needle coming . . . it’s given in the lower outside corner of the eye.)

Without insurance the shots cost me about $50 each. A couple of times it took four shots in four days, but usually less. Only twice have I ever had it in both eyes at once. The shots beat going back to the doctor every other day for months on end. They would usually put a stop to the episode within a couple of weeks, saving me tons of money.

Years ago my uveitis prevented me from having Lasik surgery. Then one day the doctor told me they had changed their thoughts on this in recent years, thinking perhaps the wearing of contact lenses stressed out the eyes much more than a laser surgery would, probably increasing the frequency of the episodes. So about four years ago I had the newest laser surgery for that time and it was the best thing I ever did. I have to be honest and tell you that later that year I had the worst episode of uveitis I had ever had, but since then I have not had one instance of it. I do carry a small bottle of steroidal eye drops with me at all times though, in case I feel a twinge of it coming on. The doctor said over the years sometimes even she couldn’t see it with her instruments when I would come in for an episode, so she said I knew better than her when it was starting up and she trusted me to know when to use them.

I’m going to email her this article to see if she’s aware of this research. If something this simple could help, so many people could benefit. One of my doctor’s patients got uveitis for the first time and was blind in three days. She was of American Indian descent. They are some of the biggest sufferers of this malody.

I have been taking benfotiamine for about a year now - not for my eyes, but to see if it would help with neuropathy in both feet, probably due to borderline diabetes now controlled by diet - no medication.

I started taking 3 capsules a day, but when I went to my neurologist for a checkup he found that my B1 level was almost 3x normal. I cut back to one per day several months ago, and now have an elevated level, but not clearly out of normal range.

I cannot say that it has helped the problem, but nerve regeneration is a very slow process and recovery, if it comes, may not occur for years.

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