B Vitamin Supplement Shows Promise in Slowing Glaucoma Progression — New Study Launches Clinical Trial — HealthPont

A new B-vitamin-based supplement may help slow the progression of glaucoma, offering hope for millions at risk of vision loss and blindness. According to a study recently published in Cell Reports Medicine , researchers from Sweden’s Karolinska Institutet found that improving vitamin metabolism in the retina could reduce damage to the optic nerve, independent of traditional eye pressure-lowering treatments.

Glaucoma: A Growing Threat to Vision

Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of irreversible blindness worldwide, primarily caused by increased intraocular pressure that damages the optic nerve. Current treatments focus on reducing this pressure through eye drops, laser therapy, or surgery, but the response varies significantly across patients.

As researchers seek alternative strategies, metabolic dysfunction in the retina has emerged as a potential target.

Homocysteine’s Role Reexamined

A long-held hypothesis in glaucoma research has been the involvement of homocysteine, a by-product of methionine metabolism. But in this new study, researchers found no causal relationship between elevated homocysteine and disease progression in humans or animals.

Instead, the study shows that high homocysteine levels may be a consequence of disrupted vitamin metabolism in the retina, rather than a disease trigger.

“We now believe homocysteine is more of a bystander,” explained Dr. James Tribble, co-lead researcher at Karolinska Institutet. “This disruption could be signaling that the retina has lost the ability to use certain essential vitamins.”

Vitamin Supplement Reverses Damage in Animal Models

To test this theory, the team administered a combination of vitamins B6, B9 (folate), B12, and choline to mice and rats with glaucoma. The results were striking:

• In mice with slow-progressing glaucoma, the vitamin mix halted optic nerve damage completely.
• In rats with aggressive glaucoma, the supplement significantly slowed the disease’s progression.

Importantly, eye pressure remained untreated during the study. This indicates that the supplement works via a novel mechanism, potentially independent of intraocular pressure.

Clinical Trial Underway at S:t Eriks Eye Hospital

Encouraged by the success in animals, researchers have launched a clinical trial at S:t Eriks Eye Hospital in Stockholm. The trial includes patients with both:

If successful, the trial could lead to a groundbreaking adjunct therapy for glaucoma patients, especially those unresponsive to pressure-lowering treatments.

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Originally published at https://healthpont.com on May 23, 2025.