Mucuna Pruriens
Mucuna pruriens is a tropical bean and is a natural source of dopamine. Dopamine is intimately connected to arousal. It is also the critical brain chemical in Parkinson's Disease, a disorder that I have dealt with for 17 years.
A group of we PWP were experimenting with the use of Muruna last year and I can attest to its effects upon male libido. But, let's face it, a good glass of tap water can qualify for many men.
What was unusual, however, was that women reported similar effects. As one of the first to notice commented, "I knew something was up when my ex- started loooking good!"
I can't suggest a dosage since the PD has an independent effect that would make such info irrelevant, so you will have to do some trial and error. It can be ordered as a raw powder via Amazon. Since mentioning a specific brand is discouraged here, I will only say that the excellent product which I used was grown in the US, was organic, and was only about $10 to $15 per pound. One caution, the powder is an incredible black stain once it is wet. The only thing that takes it off of enameled steel is oxyclean type remover.
(Fort Worth, Texas)
06/22/2009
I have read about this but have not gotten any yet. I will check into it more. I am not very knowledgeable about all the possible supplements that will help him, but I am slowly learning. My time is very divided and I wish I had more time to delve into learning more. One thing is we have tried supplements and observe for benefits or any negative side effects. This is how we have been adding and taking away supplements to best meet his needs as we learn.
It appears to me that the cause of my father's symptoms are toxins in his body and now brain injury from the strokes. Also most probably fungus is involved. He had pesticide exposure and we have more reasons to believe his problems began with toxic exposure, probably multiple toxins.
Thanks for your post. I appreciate any comments and helpful information.
(New Mexico)
11/06/2017
I have taken Macuna since 2009. I find it to be very valuable. Have never taken a specific PD pharmaceutical, and won't. The side effects are far too dramatic. Macuna has no negative side effects.
In reply to Ron (New Mexico),
That is great that the MP is working for you! Can you give details on your entire protocol (dose & timing) and what benefits you are getting? Thank you!
Art
(New Zealand)
01/22/2021
Hi Emma,
The dosing for Mucuna Pruriens(MP), like Levodopa, is very individualized and will vary considerably from person to person. People wonder what is the attraction of MP over prescription Levodopa/Carbidopa since MP has as one of its main components, Levodopa and the truth is that some people just prefer what they consider a more natural approach of using a natural plant over a prescription drug. While it is true that they both contain Levodopa, but Levodopa on its own can increase oxidative stress in the brain which can then increase neuroinflammation and in the long run this is likely to be counterproductive for people with Parkinson's (PwP) as they are already suffering with elevated oxidative stress levels and elevated neuroinflammation which have been shown to increase disease progression.
What MP has that makes it possibly more effective than Levodopa is other useful components which have shown the ability to lower oxidative stress and neuroinflammation. These other components include quercetin, Betulinic Acid, Ursolic Acid, CoQ-10, NADH and more which have shown the ability to lower oxidative stress and neuroinflammation. This is very important for PwP and Levodopa alone has none of these other attributes that MP has.
You may be wondering what MP can do compared to levodopa in PwP that is different. In PwP studies, MP can significantly reduce onset of action significantly which is important because many PwP complain that it can take an hour or more to take effect while MP takes effect significantly faster probably due to the other active components in it as mentioned above. That effect alone may make it worth it for some PwP to consider MP. Another benefit of MP over levodopa alone is increased "on time" of 21.9%! Levodopa is a single component prescription drug and can not offer these other benefits of MP! Increased "on time", equates to decreased "off time and what PwP wouldn't want that?
One study went so far as to suggest that MP, "protects or prevents the progression of the disease".
On a related note, I will be posting about this in more detail soon, here on EC! I am of the opinion that a combination of levodopa and MP maybe the best of both worlds as multiple Levodopa products also contain Carbidopa or Benserazide to control levodopa breakdown before it reaches the brain and I believe it also helps prevent conversion of levodopa to dopamine outside of the brain and this is very important because dopamine can not cross the blood brain barrier.
Art
(Mount Vernon NY)
07/04/2022
Jason,
You are replying to a post that is 5 years old in which case the original writer is not likely to reply. I will try and give you a little information to give you and idea about what is involved with the use of MP.
Regarding MP, in a couple of studies it has shown to have similar to slightly better effects than prescription levodopa products. It also does not cause the oxidative stress that levodopa has shown in studies to cause. It also offers other health benefits. Those are some of the positives.
On the negative side, it takes huge doses of pure MP to equate to Sinemet dosing and such huge doses have the potential to cause stomach upset and are hard to take.
Manufacturers are aware of this issue and decided to make "extract versions" of MP so that a smaller, more tolerable dose can be taken. But even with extract versions, it still requires relatively large doses. One problem with the most potent extract versions is that they are essentially levodopa with little if any of the beneficial components that pure MP contains. So you don't really get any of the beneficial effects of the MP.
What some PwP do, is combine a lesser dose of Sinemet or other levodopa based drug with an extract version of MP in order to get the added benefits associated with the use of MP in conjunction with the stability and uniformity of a drug like Sinemet or Madopar. I think this is what you will find once you have done research into MP in all of its many forms.
A common form of MP extract that some PwP find benefit with is Dopa Boost :
This is an interesting product that combines MP extract with other supplements that have shown benefit for PwP. It also uses EGCG, the active component from green tea to act similarly to the Carbidopa component of the combination drug Sinemet which is comprised of Carbidopa and Levodopa. It also contains other PD useful supplements such as N Acetyl L-Tyrosine, vitamin B6 and Quercetin.
PwP use Dopa Boost with a levodopa drug like Sinemet. Sounds simple, right? Not that simple though because, in general, neurologists and movement disorder specialist are not going to be familiar with MP or a product such as Dopa Boost, and this means they will not be able to help you determine an ideal dose combination between your prescription levodopa and your non prescription MP product.
This means you will be on your own to figure out the most effective dosing of both products for you. Even if you find someone that has already done the leg work to figure out through trial and error what their best dosing schedule is for the combination of MP extract and levodopa drug is, you will only be able to use their information as a rough guideline and you will still have to fine tune your dose to meet your specific needs through trial and error.
On this general subject of alternative PD remedies, there are several that I am aware of that have shown varying degrees of benefit in improving quality of life, but like levodopa drug products, there is usually a need for trial and error testing or a learning curve to figure out the best dosing schedule for you.
In PD, there are no cures on the horizon, only various alternatives to try and improve your quality of life. If you are interested in any of those other options, I can offer you some information regarding them if I am familiar with your choice.
Art
Multiple Supplements
So now I have Methyline blue 2.303%, sodium ascorbate 1.69 grams, taurine 1.0 gram and potassium, calcium, zinc and manganese ascorbates 1,000 mg.(combined). What do I do with them?? How much, how often--all together, what?? Any help would be appreciated.
Parkinson's Disease: Causes
Parkinsons Disease specific causes, which make sense in my sister's case, such as earlier and unhealed foot injuries, are to be found on Google. It's probably best to look at all of them because some so called cures actually make people worse, and especially if they have been taking allopathic medicines for some time.
(Larnaca, Cyprus)
11/03/2015
Parkinson's Disease: Causes
I recently submitted a link to a new research paper suggesting that Alzheimer's disease might be associated with fungus. Existing research and other writings already support the association of Parkinson's disease with fungus, see below.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17051898
Acetaldehyde is a toxin produced by fungus. The abstract for the above-linked study from 2006 states that, "In the presence of acetaldehyde, dopamine is converted into salsolinol, a neurotoxin involved in apoptosis of dopaminergic neurons."
In other words, fungus produces a toxin which combines with dopamine to make a neurotoxin, which then causes the dopamine-making neurons to self-destruct (apoptosis is programmed cell death). The loss of most of the dopamine-making neurons in the brain's substantia nigra causes dopamine levels to drop drastically, causing parkinsonian symptoms.
http://www.jns-journal.com/article/S0022-510X(13)00865-4/abstract
Fungal volatile organic compounds: Biogenic toxins as etiological agents for Parkinson's disease
Parkinsonism secondary to bilateral striatal fungal abscesses
The book, Road to Recovery by Richard Rodgers, discusses the author's belief that Parkinson's is caused by a fungal infection. This topic is addressed on page 106. You can read that page by following the above Google Books link.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17051898
Chronic polysystemic candidiasis as a possible contributor to onset of idiopathic Parkinson's disease.
http://www.vrp.com/digestive-health/a-health-destroying-toxin-we-cant-avoid-and-must-detoxify
A Health-Destroying Toxin We Can't Avoid And Must Detoxify
Article is written by a Clinical Laboratory Scientist--see paragraph titled Detrimental Effects.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3689266/
Acetaldehyde and parkinsonism: role of CYP450 2E1
In the paragraph titled Acetaldehyde and Parkinson's Disease, they don't mention the fact that acetaldehyde can be produced by fungus; they relate it to alcohol consumption, which is another reason for acetaldehyde to be present in the body.
http://www.ojs.ukw.edu.pl/index.php/johs/article/view/2015;5(3):68-78
Fungal infection possible pathogenic role in Parkinson disease and parkinsonism
This 2015 journal article published in Poland by researchers at Odessa National Medical University in Ukraine is written in the Russian language, but the abstract is translated into English.
https://www.google.com/patents/US6652866
Method for treating diseases of fungal, yeast, and prion protein etiology
This veterinarian believes that many neurodegenerative disorders are caused by fungi. He has developed a method of treating symptoms of the disorders by administering anti-fungal fatty acids, as explained in his patent application.
(Montana)
11/05/2015
Thank you SO much for posting this! I also believe that yeast has so much to do with it. I have had a systemic yeast infection for years. One of the symptoms that I feel is related to this, also, is hair loss that I am experiencing. Parkinson's is in my family, so I may have gotten it anyway, but I believe that other precipitating factors (yeast and others) brought on what may not have manifested had they not been there.
(Larnaca, Cyprus)
11/06/2015
Hi, Zebu:
I hope my post added a bit of information to the other posts on this page; several people have said Parkinson's can have a fungal etiology, so I just chased down studies to support that.
I don't know what you are doing already to try to relieve your medical conditions (Parkinson's and candida infection). But, if you haven't already, you could eliminate wheat and processed sugar from your diet. Regarding your hair loss, regular use of a dandruff shampoo with vigorous scalp massage may help; those shampoos eliminate dandruff through their antifungal action, and massage promotes circulation to the scalp so that the hair follicles are better nourished and oxygenated. Gentle hair-pulling once a day works similar to massage; just wrap a bunch of hair around your fingers and gentle pull it for a few seconds, and work your way around your scalp until all hair has been pulled. My husband's late father renewed his hair growth in his 70s through hair-pulling. A simple, cheap sulfur supplement like MSM (an anti-inflammatory champ! ) can thicken your hair (and nails) and is antifungal as well. Eggs are another source of sulfur and protein to feed the hair.
Thanks for your reply! Best wishes.
Pesticides and Parkinson's
Another interesting article in recent news:
ScienceDaily (Sep. 17, 2009) - Individuals whose occupation involves contact with pesticides appear to have an increased risk of having Parkinson's disease, according to a report in the September issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090914172528.htm
Protein Sources
I have been seeking a good protein source for my father and family besides meat, beans and rice, etc. Something quick and easy ( I know, nothing good is easy). I asked Ted about it. I asked him about whey. He discouraged whey big time because it makes us have sticky blood. So I know there's got to be more to it than that and when I finally go back and reread his answer maybe he says more but I don't remember right now. At the time I had recently had an experience with my Dad on a lysine trial and it made his blood sticky. So Ted and I had been on that subject already.
Another source I asked him about is egg white protein. He told me that egg whites have high aspartic acid and that he and his don't eat the egg white, only the yolk. I have an egg white protein product in my home and yes it has almost 3000 mg of aspartic acid per scoop and almost 3000mg of glutamic acid per scoop!
So I have these questions about excitotoxins and egg white. I don't completely understand about the problems with excitotoxins in unprocessed food. One thing Ted mentioned is that the egg white is not the food source for the chick. So...anyway I looked around a bit on the net and read where people stated that eggs or egg whites caused them problems.
Does anyone have an understanding of this, especially the part about the egg whites?
Also it was during that time when Ted told me that asparagus is so high is aspartic acid, hence the name.
We ate eggs this morning, with the whites. Its sad to waste the whites I think, but is it really a problem for brain healing? I think it probably is. Can anyone help with this?
(Coloma, Mi)
06/30/2009
My Dad is 94 years old. No one can believe it. He still lives independently, drives his own car and his memory is fantastic. He has eaten eggs all his life, so I don't worry about it. His cholesterol is 170. He also eats a lot of fast food so I don't know what his secret is.
(Manganui, Northland, New Zealand)
05/01/2011
I think you will find that "Yams" according to the latest research.. will go a long way in repairing the brain after a stroke.. Google "Yams and stroke".. I'm sure it will be what you are looking for.
(New Hampshire)
02/27/2014
Dear Jane -- Four years have passed since your query about protein for your dad with PD, but in case you're still working with your dad, I recommend you use the Oil-Protein Diet of Dr. Johanna Budwig, as given on the Healing Cancer Naturally site. Other sites have interesting comments about the Budwig diet, but the Healing Cancer Naturally site has the most accurate info as presented by Dr. Budwig. Dr. Budwig states that the oil-protein diet increases oxygen in the system. Her program has reversed MS. Lest you be concerned about the use of cottage cheese when Parkinson's patients are advised to avoid dairy products, Dr. Budwig said that the dairy-ness of the cottage cheese or quark and the fat of the flaxseed oil are both transmuted to form a highly absorbable and effective, water soluble substance when combined in the manner she prescribed.
Best wishes, Judy
Reader Commments
Parkinson's thoughts:
Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin, so the heavier you are, probably the more you need. Would a pale-skinned person be low in vitamin d? Perhaps.
Vitamin D3 produces Cathelicidin, which fights lots of bad stuff.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathelicidin
http://www.university-technology.com/details/novel-cathelicidin-based-anti-infective
"The novel anti-infective, in either a polypeptide, peptide or nucleic acid form, may have application as a therapeutic to treat fungal or bacterial infections, including those caused by drug resistant strains, such as E. coli, Salmonella enteritides, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Serratia marcescens, Burkholderia cepacia, Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA i.e. methicillin resistant), Staphylococcus epidermidis, Enterococcus faecalis (VREF i.e. vancomycin resistant) and Streptococcus agalactiae, and also against fungi such as Candida albicans, Candida glabrata and Cryptococcus neoformans."
******
I was looking at Michael J. Fox the other day on TV... his neck/thyroid looks destroyed. Since Ted mentioned Thyroid, the Thyroid seems like something worth checking if you have this disease. In his case, perhaps his resembles Hyperthyroidism a bit; just an opinion.
I would kind of like to see a metametrix study (GI effects) on this disease.
(Colombo- Sri Lanka)
07/25/2014
Research Articles
There is some brand new scientific news on this subject. However, the articles are pretty confusing. Is it caused by Yeast or Heavy Metal Poisoning? Unclear.
Link Found Between Parkinson's Disease Genes And Manganese Poisoning
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090201141559.htm
Penn Study Finds Link Between Parkinson's Disease Genes and Manganese Poisoning
http://www.uphs.upenn.edu/news/News_Releases/2009/02/parkinsons-manganese.html
***
Hypothetically, with too much exposure to flouride, it can seep into the brain, and cause lead poisoning. This may not be the cause, but you can remove both lead and fluoride with mega-Iodine (discussed in the fluoride thread), and kill yeast.
Professional Perspectives: Fluoride in Tap Water
http://youtube.com/watch?v=_Ys9q1cvKGk
STUDY FINDS CORRELATION BETWEEN FLUORIDES IN WATER AND LEAD LEVELS
http://www.fluoridation.com/lead.htm
(Emerald City)
07/03/2017
Similarities between Parkinsons and ALS have been found. There is a copper binding issue, combined with oxidative stress. This should hopefully give us ideas on how to treat this eg: copper chelation, or chelated copper, and a whole spectrum of anti-oxidants and anti-oxidant minerals.
Do we need more copper, ie. chelated copper?, or less copper, ie copper chelation? Or maybe a combination of the two? It sounds like there is a deficiency but I fear that if we get it wrong it could make it worse.
“We have pinpointed a protein abnormality known as the ‘SOD1 fingerprint' in regions of neuronal loss in the Parkinson's disease brain, ” said Associate Professor Kay Double who led the research published in Acta Neuropathologica.
“We believe this loss of neurons results from a combination of oxidative stress and a regional deficiency in copper, both of which occur specifically in vulnerable regions of the Parkinson's disease brain.”
Source: http://sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/news/2017/05/22/discovery-may-offer-hope-to-parkinsons-disease-patients.html
(Emerald City)
07/13/2017
OK this is important - if ALS is similar to Parkinson's then hopefully this treatment may work there too. This study found that in rats a copper chelator dramatically improved their health.
Source: http://www.alzforum.org/news/research-news/copper-rescue-als-mice
"As reported in the January 27 Neurobiology of Disease online, the researchers treated the mice with CuATSM, a reddish copper chelator that can carry the metal into the brain and spinal cord. There, the theory goes, the chelator releases Cu ions to the Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase 1, an enzyme that causes a rare familial form of ALS when mutated and tends to aggregate when it's missing its copper. .."
"Beckman's group was studying why those mSOD1xCCS mice fell so ill when researchers from the University of Melbourne who worked with CuATSM visited his lab. The scientists decided to try the compound in one double transgenic mouse, which was unable to stand and near the end of its short lifespan.
"The researchers dissolved CuATSM in dimethyl sulfoxide and dribbled in onto the pup's neck, where it was quickly absorbed by the skin. A few hours later, the mouse was up and moving."
Ted's Remedies
Ted, my sister is 47 years old and was recently diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. Please advise on a course of vitamins and supplements as well as a diet plan for her. Please state dosage and time of day to take each vitamin/supplement. Thank you for your time.
This remedy was discovered for alzheimer's, but is also improving those with PD and MS. Coconut oil, unrefined, raw, 4 heaping tsp/day. See Dr. Mary Newport's video on utube.
(China)
03/25/2016
The reference to Dr. Mary Newport's video is very vague as there is nothing in the youtube listing regarding Parkinson's, and many videos by Dr. Mary Newport, all about Alzheimers.
Vitamin D
Editorial Note: Art's research on vitamin D is to be found here:
https://www.earthclinic.com/cures/vitamin-d-for-parkinsons.html
