Herbs
Does anyone take herb supplements such as L-Tyrosine or mucuna pruiens?
I've tried L-tyrosine tentatively and it has some effect. Preliminary studies show that it can have better outcomes than L-DOPA, but taking them both might cause issues, so I haven't gone too far with it yet. Remember that in PD drugs, L-DOPA is "cut" with other drugs/co-factors. The reason they did this is because pure it created horrible dyskinesia [still does eventually]... just watch the film Awakenings with Robin Williams and Robert De Niro, based on the true story. It seems that sources of L-DOPA within natural matrices (i.e. food derived) also provides better outcomes than the nasty chemicals they drugs are made up with. L-tyrosine is one of several amino acids, amino acids are essential for normal functioning brains and bodies [just like fatty acids]. They are found in proteins [food] and produced naturally by the body.
L-tyrosine is the precusor to L-DOPA. L-DOPA is the precusor to Dopamine. Dopamine is the precusor to nor-adrelnaline. Each is created one from the other in chemical reactions. Dopamine can't get through the blood brain barrier so this is why we aren't given Dopamine pure - it wouldn't end up where needed. But starting with the intermediate L-DOPA is actually a scientifically perverse thing to do. It would be much better if L-tyrosine was studied and optimized as this is the natural pathway. L-DOPA is also used to produce Dopamine in other parts of the body, including kindneys, and other parts of the brain not affected by PD [which is why it causes dyskinesia and hallucinations in the end]. When we ingest L-DOPA, it's completely untargetted and floods the system. Which is why sometimes the drugs don't work or we get all sorts of nasty side effects - it ends up in the wrong places in ways which are totally uncontrolled. The conversion from L-tyrosine to L-DOPA is the slowest stage [we say "rate limiting"] and requires a catalyst called an enzyme. This enzyme is also connected with thyroid functionality. On the other hand, conversion of dopamine to nor-adrenaline is super fast [fight or flight] so if you get stressed, it's goodbye to your dopamine supply and then you have to wait for the slow build up again. Vicious cycle is PD.
Thank you for your helpful response
@A MyParkinsonsTeam Member. Yes, I take anti-oxidants and several supplements. Original glutathione is one of the supplements and antioxidants that I take. These supplements do not guarantee that you wont still get sick at one particular point in your life with Parkinson's. But it helps. There's one supplement that I take called Neuro-Mag or aka as Magnesium L Threonate. This I take for memory and cognitive function. I also use essence oils nose drops for congested sinuses and nasal passages. Good stuff. Thank you for your question. Best wishes. Sterling
I take B12, and recently started Co Q 10. It could be a coincidence, but I have noticed a significant improvement after starting Co Q 10. Time will tell.
@A MyParkinsonsTeam Member. Yes indeed. We all need to know how we get our supply of dopamine and how we can use it for our best performance. Do you see or hear from research, if there is anything on the horizon even close to getting through the blood brain barrier other than levodopa? I have never understood why carbodopa cannot get through but levodopa can. Is there any other dopamine carrier, that you know of, being researched and tested at this time? I'm guessing that when we find a more controlled way to safely refuel our dopamine, we will have our cure for PD. Your thoughts? Sterling
Not A Person With Parkinson's But A Support To My Husband Who Has Been Diagnosed With Parkinson's. How Do I Correct That In My Profile?
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Does Anyone Use The Herb Mucuna