Parkinson’s disease is a common neurological condition afflicting about 1
percent of men and women over the age of seventy. Individuals with Parkinson’s
disease have tremor of the hands, rigidity, poor balance, and mild intellectual
deterioration. The tremor is most apparent at rest and is less severe with movement. In
Parkinson’s disease, a small region in the brain, called the substantia nigra, begins
to deteriorate. The neurons of the substantia nigra use the brain chemical dopamine.
With the loss of dopamine, tremors begin and movement slows. Despite current drug
therapies, Parkinson’s disease remains a progressive and incurable condition. Many
patients with Parkinson’s disease may also suffer from age related cognitive decline
or have some of the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.
Although Parkinson’s disease can
occur from viral infections or exposure to environmental toxins, such as pesticides, the
causes of the majority of cases are not well known. Scientists suspect that oxidative
damage to neurons in the substantia nigra could well be one of the major causes,
particularly due to the depletion of the antioxidant glutathione. People who sustain
substantial head injuries may face an increased risk of developing Parkinson’s
disease years later. Middle-aged men and women who are overweight may be at
increased risk of developing Parkinson's disease.
Treatment Strategies for Parkinson’s disease
The nutritional therapy for Parkinson’s disease is still an uncharted
territory. The most promising approach appears to be the use of antioxidants to slow the
oxidation and damage to the substantia nigra. It’s possible that additional
nutritional approaches may be found in the future.
There are basically three types of drugs that
are commonly prescribed for patients with Parkinson’s disease. First, doctors
prescribe dopamine precursors, such as L-dopa, which converts into dopamine. A second
approach is using drugs that block the breakdown of dopamine. A common medicine used for
this purpose is selegiline (also known as deprenyl). And third, drugs are provided that
influence dopamine receptors directly. The two most commonly prescribed are bromocriptine
and pergolide.
Natural supplements for
Parkinson's disease
The following antioxidants may be helpful in
addition to standard pharmaceutical therapy.
Mucuna Pruriens has been tested for Parkinson's disease and is available at
Physician Formulas
web site.
Food and Parkinson's disease
large amounts of dairy products may increase in the rate of Parkinson's disease.
Intake of fruits and vegetables decreases the risk.
Prospective study of dietary pattern and risk of
Parkinson disease.
Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 Nov;86(5):1486-94. Gao X, Chen H, Fung TT,
Logroscino G, Schwarzschild MA, Hu FB, Ascherio A. Departments of Nutrition and
Epidemiology, Boston, MA.
Several studies have shown associations between Parkinson Disease risk and
individual foods and nutrients with inconsistent results. We examined
associations between dietary patterns and risk of Parkinson's disease in the
Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (1986-2002) and the Nurses' Health Study
(1984-2000). Dietary patterns with a high intake of fruit, vegetables, legumes,
whole grains, nuts, fish, and poultry and a low intake of saturated fat and a
moderate intake of alcohol may protect against Parkinson's disease.
Manganese and Parkinson's
disease
Manganese is an essential trace metal that is widely used in industry,
particularly in the manufacture of steel. Exposure to high levels of manganese
can cause toxicity to nerve cells with the development of a form of parkinsonism
known as manganism.
Blocking Dopamine Breakdown
Dopamine is broken down in the brain by an enzyme called monoamine oxidase
(MAO). When the activity of MAO is inhibited, dopamine stays around longer and this
benefits those with
Parkinson’s disease. Several drugs are available that block the
activity of MAO. Selegiline is the most effective and the one used most commonly. The
prescribed dosage is 5 mg a day.
No nutrients are currently known that prevent
the breakdown of dopamine. However, a study conducted on rats at the College of Humanities
and Sciences, Beijing Union University, in Beijing, China, indicates that the Chinese
herbs codonopsis and astragalus can inhibit MAO type B and increase the activity of the
antioxidant SOD. We don’t have any human trials to determine whether these two herbs
would benefit patients with Parkinson’s disease. Although selegiline is a very helpful medicine, high doses
may increase the risk of heart irregularities.
Parkinson drug risk
Drug therapy for
Parkinson's disease
to replace the dopamine or reduce tremors can help some patients for a while,
but symptoms eventually worsen The risk of heart valve damage with two drugs for Parkinson’s disease may be far
greater than was known. The drugs are not the main treatment for Parkinson’s,
but one is also sometimes used to treat restless legs syndrome. A study by
Italian researchers found that roughly one-fourth of Parkinson’s patients taking
pergolide or cabergoline, sold as Permax, Dostinex and other brands, had
moderate to severe heart valve problems. Another study, by German doctors, found
that users of either drug were five to seven times more likely to have leaky
heart valves than those on other types of Parkinson’s medications.
Drug patch for Parkinson's
disease
In May of 2007, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a new patch,
called Neupro, that treats Parkinson's disease symptoms. Neupro is made by
German drugs firm Schwarz Pharma. Neupro is the first transdermal patch approved
for the treatment of symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Neupro patch delivers a
drug called rotigotine. Rotigotine is similar to other drugs used to treat
Parkinson's -- it is a so-called dopamine agonist, which provides more dopamine.
The Neupro patch is replaced every 24 hours and provides a continuous dose of
the drug. The most common side effects for Neupro included skin reactions at the
patch site, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, drowsiness and insomnia, most of which
are typical of this class of drugs.
Family history and
Parkinson's disease
Immediate relatives (brother, sister, mother, father, son or daughter) of
patients with Parkinson's disease are at increased risk for developing
depression and anxiety disorders which suggests a genetic relationship. Archives
of General Psychiatry, December 2007.
Ovary removal may increase
risk of Parkinson's disease
Women who have had removal of one or both ovaries prior to menopause are
at increased risk of developing Parkinson's disease or similar conditions.
Estrogen protects the brain's neurons and thereby may decrease the risk of
Parkinson's disease.
Parkinson's disease emails
Q. I've been trying to keep you aware of my condition; The Parkinsons disease I
have. the mucuna pruriens has helped greatly, I've improved even more. The
shaking is very much better and the memory is getting better. My DR. is
surprised I showed him the product and he is considering having a mucuna bottle
in his office to reccomend to patients.
Q. I have Parkinson disease and I beg you to
answer to me if Mind Power Rx is right supplement for me.
A. We cannot predict any person's response to a particular
supplement, it is impossible for us to say whether a product such as Mind Power
Rx will help or not, all we can do is give general research on the topic of
Parkinson's Disease.
Q. I have Parkinson disease taking mucuna at present would
your other supp. mind power rx be better on ltd income due to illness any info
appreciated thank you.
A. It is impossible to predict whether Mind Power would help or not
help. If you do choose to use Mind Power Rx, we would suggest reducing the dose
of mucuna to avoid overstimulation and have your doctor supervise you.
Q. Sir, will Mind Power Rx formula aid a person
with Parkinson's disease ? Is there a special formula that may help control the
symptoms of Parkinson disease ?
A. There have not been any studies with Mind Power Rx in regards to
Parkinson's disease. You may ask your doctor to read the research on this page
in regards to Parkinson's disease option with natural supplements.
Q. I have severe Parkinson's disease with motor
fluctuations and am on Sinemet etc. Can I use choline supplement? What should I
watch for? Which preparation is the best for me to use?
A. It is difficult to predict for each person how a supplement will
interact with their medical condition or medication. We have not seen much
research with Parkinson's disease and choline supplements.
Q. I am considering using natural products to
supplement or replace my existing regimen of Sinemet LDOPA, Mirapex, Comtan and
Selegiline. What of your products would you recommend and why. Also a byproduct
of taking these meds is erectile dysfunction. I understand these natural
products my help me there as well.
A. We suggest your doctor reads this page on Parkinson's disease.
We cannot make individual suggestions. If natural supplements such as mucuna
pruriens are started, the dosage of the other drugs may need to be reduced since
overstimulation can occur.
Q. I recently discovered mucuna pruriens product
and I have been taking 3 pills daily or about a month as a secondary dopamine
support to my daily prescription of Carbodopa / Levodopa. I had a stem cell
treatment for
Parkinson's almost a year ago and the thought is that the stem cells will
develop into dopamine producing cells as needed. My hope is to wean off of the
prescription drugs and use the mucuna pruriens product to help keep my
dopamine levels more stable while this regeneration takes place. What do you
consider to be the maximum mucuna dosage a person could take without risk of
serious side effects or other complications? I'd like to see if I could just use
the natural dopamine and get off the prescription drugs all together.
A. Each person is different in the mucuna pruriens dosage that
works for them. One dosage may work well for one person but have side effects
for another. We cannot give a specific answer since each person would need to
find out for themselves in consultation with their doctor. Plus, each person may
have a different dosage of the other medicines they are taking for Parkinson's
disease and interactions are not easy to predict.
Q. Have read your literature regarding L-tyrosine
and its possible uses as a supplement. Since it is a precursor of dopa, is there
any literature related to using L-tyrosine as an effective supplement during
early Parkinsons in replacing dopa in the brain?
A. Tyrosine is not an effective treatment for Parkinson's disease.
Q. I am 80 years old. I got Parkinson's disease
about 3 years ago. Two Years ago I went to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. I was
diagnosed, by the doctor/s there, with Parkinson's disease. My main problems are
writing very small and walking (I no longer have the coordination to play
tennis, skip rope and swim) but I have no tremors. My Doctor here in Toronto
recommended I take Levo Dopa (8 pills/day) which I have been taking for 2 years
now. About 1 to 1- 1/2 years ago I lost quite bit of my balance and began to use
a cane and at times a walker. I have fallen down quite a few times. Fortunately
I am in good shape and have not broken any bones. About 6 months ago I hired a
personal trainer and found him to be very capable. His training technique
includes discouraging me from walking with a cane and walker. This past March
2008 I went on cruise and began taking Mucana Pruriens and slowly I stopped
taking the Levo Dopa prescribed. Now I am taking 2-3 Mucana pills per day + 1-2
Curcumin Tumeric pills per day. I must tell you that since I have been taking
the Curcumin Tumeric pills my skin texture has improved and my friends tell me
my overall appearance has improved. In addition my eyes look better (no redness)
plus my eyesight has improved. I saw a new top doctor recently by the name of
Tony Lange who's specialty is movement (it took me 2 years to get this
appointment). He gave me an extremely thorough examination this past June. He
diagnosed me with Parkinson's disease as well and he ordered an MRI for my
brain.
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