In the future I am going to start taking EGCG in conjunction with levodopa (derived from the Mucuna pruriens plant). Why? EGCG is a natural decarboxylase inhibitor and has the same chemical action of carbidopa.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11374875
The problem remains, how to absorb EGCG (which is difficult to absorb)?
The following article shows that 94% pure EGCG when combined with 1,000 omega 3 derived from salmon in combination with 200 mg of vitamin C helps the body to absorb EGCG. Also, caffeine inhibits the absorbtion of EGCG plus it has to be taken on an empty stomach upon waking and 4 PM in the afternoon (again on an empty stomach).
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3189735/
I highlighted the bio-available form of B12 – methylcobalamin. Standard B12 supplements are cyanocobalamin and very little gets converted into methylcobalamin. It is good for energy production,
and for taking it I was energized for 4 days. The best form is the sublingual form and it can be purchased online or at health stores. B vitamins are energy vitamins and methylcobalamin is the premiere energy vitamin.
http://www.methylcobalamininfo.com/methylcobalamin-vs…/
There are 2 forms of niacin, vitamin B3 that are of interest to Parkinson’s patients: NADH & nicotinamide/niacinamide. NADH is the coenzyme form and in testing it has been shown to benefit 78 % of Parkinson’s patients with the best results happen for people who are earliest in their diagnosis.
2 links:
http://nadh.com/pages/parkinsons ….and a video….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2dPS8cx0Kc
The other form of niacin I like (and use) is nicotinamide/niacinamide (same vitamin). Niacinamide has been shown to be neuroprotective in many Parkinson’s disease; Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s disease model(s). It also have been shown to be good for arthritis and it has anti-biotic like effect.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22499510
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18381761
Niacinamide is also good for arthritis and up to 3 grams = 3,000 mg can be taken every day. I take 1,500 mg every day. Arthritis link:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8841834
Nicotinamide/niacinamide is converted into NADH.
It is well known that long term smoking helps to lower the risk for Parkinson’s and it is interesting to know that 1 chemical reaction is required to convert nicotine to nicotinic acid (niacin). I really do not need to tell you that you should skip the smoking and take either NADH or niacinamide.
Zinc
Zinc in an essential mineral that is required for proper immune response and it has been shown to be deficient in Parkinson’s disease patients:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10100031
And Parkinson’s disease patients have more central nervous infections than (non-PD) people:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3429872/
And what is the natural combination to take when you have an infection: Zinc and vitamin C.
The following study shows improvement of Parkinson’s disease by intravenous vitamin C and zinc:
http://www.empr.com/…/case-report…/article/382398/
Sure intravenous therapy is only given in hospital settings but there are certain forms of zinc that are better absorbed than zinc oxide. Zinc gluconate and zinc orotate. Zinc gluconate is prescribed by (regular doctors) and orotate by natural doctors.
The following study shows 30 mg of zinc gluconate was given to senior citizens and it boosted their immune system:
http://now.tufts.edu/…/study-shows-zinc-supplement…
If you have a history of infections, like I did, you are probably deficient in zinc.
Also, Zinc protects SK-N-SH cells from methamphetamine-induced alpha-synuclein expression.:
a-synuclein expression.:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17481810
Alpha synuclein is the protein that clogs the patients in Parkinson’s patients and leads to dementia.
Magnesium
Magnesium is used to protect pre-term children from the development of cerebral palsy. CP has many symptoms including drooling, difficulty talking, walking and eating. Though I am uncertain about
its effect on movement disorders I know it has helped to improve my memory. The form of magnesium I prefer is Magnesium L. Threonate. It has been developed to improve memory and is going to be tested
on people with dementia:
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02210286
http://www.lifeextension.com/…/novel-magnesium…/page-01
The following study shows that magnesium chloride can raise magnesium levels in the body and help to detox heavy metals:
http://www.cnelm.com/…/7%20Transdermal%20Mg%20revised2.pdf
Magnesium chloride, in a flake form, is good in foot baths:
http://www.magneticclay.com/…/Ancient-Minerals…
Magnesium also have been shown to break up alpha syncuclein as caused by iron:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11850416
Selenium
Being a man I have a prostate gland and selenium is the best mineral for it. Also, selenium in its organic form, selenomethionine, has been shown to break up wild type alpha synuclein:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16373949
Neuroprotective effect of selenium:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12558963
Caution should be used for people with the on/off syndrome because in one study selenium levels were high in the brains of patients along with iron. Importantly, zinc was deficient!:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17447433
Iodine +
My favorite way to absorb iodine is through eating (organic farmed) brown kelp. In addition to iodine, brown kelp has 2 components shown to be good for PD and taken together, would be a good therapy for Parkinson’s disease.
Mannitol:
http://www.pdf.org/en/science_news/release/pr_1373476667
Fucoidan:Â http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19545563
I have taken neither of these supplements, unlike methylcobalamin, NADH, nicotinamide, zinc and magensium. Of the two I am most interested in fucoidan (polysaccharide):
http://bmss.ccmu.edu.cn/extra/col1/1264065875.pdf
http://www.tandfonline.com/…/10…/1476830512Y.0000000004
CoQ10
When I started taking 1,200 mg/day of CoQ10, in the form of ubiquinone, my chest fasciculations vanished and it basically made me a ‘non-progressor’ – Parkinson’s disease because static. CoQ10 has an uneven clinical history with some studies showning it slows PD and others show it does not slow PD.
Confusing? Yes, but their are problems with all CoQ10 Parkinson’s studies.
1) The 2002/2011 PD studies used large doses of vitamin E and it has shown to lower plasma levels of CoQ10 as compared to lower doses of CoQ10 alone. The article by Douglas Hunter points questions this relationship:
http://archneur.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx…
Also, every Parkinson’s CoQ10 study uses standard ubiquinone and not ubiquinol. PD patients are over the age of 50 and after 40 years the body has difficulties converting ubiquinone to ubiquinol in the body. Would someone complete a ubiquinol Parkinson’s study?
http://www.lifeextension.com/…/2007/1/report_coq10/Page-01
Since ubinquinol is better abosrbed it should be used for Parkinson’s patients.
Mitochondrial dysfunction is a major problem with Parkinson’s disease and supplements that help to alleviate MD should be taken together.
As previously noted, Niacinamide helps with mitochondrial dysfunction; so does CoQ10; and methyltetrahydrofolic acid:
http://www2.le.ac.uk/…/folic-acid-could-suppress…
Methyltetrahydrofolic acid is the bioavailable from of folic acid.
N-acetyl cysteine
N-acetyl cysteine & Mitochondrial dysfunction Parkinson’s disease:
http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article…
Acetyl L carnitine & alpha lipoic acid:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20414966
Vitamin K
https://www.sciencedaily.com/rel…/2012/05/120511101240.htm
I personally tried to combat mitochondrial dysfunction by combining N acetly cysteine, alpha lipoic acid, acetyl l carnitine, vitamin K, methyltetrahydrofolic acid asnd CoQ10 in a coctail to combat mitochondrial dysfunction. There is a company which uses this approach called The BX Protocols and here are some videos featuring their therapy and Parkinson’s patients:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FA2UbZyRB_k
Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean diet emphasizes: Eating primarily plant-based foods, such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes and nuts. Replacing butter with healthy fats, such as olive oil. Using herbs and spices instead of salt to flavor foods. Limiting red meat to no more than a few times a month.
What are the components of the Mediterranean Diet which are best for Parkinson’s disease?
Oleuropein (I take an olive extract with oleuropein).
Inhibition of 6-hydroxydopamine-induced PC12 cell apoptosis by olive (Olea europaea L.) leaf extract is performed by its main component oleuropein.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23394606
Resveratrol is in red wine:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/…/in-depth/red-wine/art-20048281
Effect of resveratrol on mitochondrial function: implications in parkin-associated familiar Parkinson’s disease.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24582596
Neuroprotective Effects of Garlic A Review
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3074326/
And of course, exercise, exercise, exercise:
Neuroprotective Benefits of Exercise
http://www.parkinson.org/…/Neuroprotective-Benefits-of…
After I gave this talk I went out for a 4 mile walk to go grocery shopping.
I hope this has been informative and if you have any questions you can contact me through my website:
http://richardmelvin.com/contact.html
Best wishes!
Rich Melvin
