Parkinsons Disease
Parkinson’s diseaseWhen doctors describe Parkinson’s disease in clinical terms, they talk about symptoms like tremor, slowed movement, and muscle rigidity. These symptoms are far more than minor inconveniences. With Parkinson’s, all of the little details that make us who we are—a jaunty gait, a sarcastically raised eyebrow—are slowly stripped away. Even a signature changes, since it becomes impossible to write with the usual flourish.
We don’t know for sure what causes Parkinson’s disease to affect some people and not others. It’s clear, though, that symptoms are due to progressive destruction of cells deep inside the part of the brain called the substantia nigra, the area that controls movement. These cells normally produce dopamine, a chemical that transmits nerve signals to muscles. The death of these cells causes reduced dopamine levels, which in turn lead to the faulty muscle control that’s characteristic of Parkinson’s.
Many experts believe that Parkinson’s disease comes from a combination of two malevolent forces—poor genes and a toxic environment. In some people, genetic messages carried from generation to generation allow them to detoxify cells—that is, dispose of any harmful components that might damage the cells. In someone who has a less-than-perfect ability to detoxify cells, nerve cells could be easily damaged.
Maybe that’s not the whole story, however. There’s also the possibility that certain toxins in the environment contribute to the problem. If we are overexposed to those toxins and they make their way to the cells, it’s a recipe for progressive cell damage that leads to cell death.
Could the toxins contained in pesticides be adding to our susceptibility to Parkinson’s? "The incidence of this disease is dramatically higher in farmers and other people who’ve had pesticide exposure," says David Perlmutter, M.D., a neurologist in Naples, Florida, and author of Lifeguide. He has noted that in general, rates of Parkinson’s are rising with rates of pesticide use around the globe.
You can reduce your risk for Parkinson’s as well as slow its progression in two basic steps, Dr. Perlmutter believes. First, protect your brain cells from damage by taking antioxidants, then boost your body’s ability to dispose of toxins. That can be done by taking supplements that target the liver and intestines as well as the brain, he says.
If you’ve already been diagnosed with Parkinson’s, you should know that none of the remedies that follow are substitutes for any medication your doctor may prescribe. If they are started early enough, however, Dr. Perlmutter believes that they can help prolong the time before medication becomes necessary. If you’re already taking prescription drugs, adding supplements like these is a safe and effective way to help keep your symptoms from getting worse, he says. Even so, be sure to inform your doctor about any supplements that you’re taking, since some can interact with prescription medicines.
Antioxidants Are a Must
Free radicals—the free-roaming, unstable molecules that harm cells—and the damage they do are associated with Parkinson’s in two ways. Excess free radicals may contribute to development of the disease in the first place. Then, once Parkinson’s is under way, experts believe that the disease progression generates a wave of one kind of highly toxic free radical known as peroxynitrite.
Also, research has shown that Parkinson’s symptoms are likely to be worse when there are not enough antioxidant nutrients in the body. "Studies on this topic have been done since 1984," says Dr. Perlmutter. "Using antioxidants to treat this disease is not new."
One study on antioxidants and people with early Parkinson’s showed the result of high-dose supplementation with the high-powered antioxidants vitamin E and vitamin C. When people with early Parkinson’s took those vitamins, their need for medication was delayed for up to two-and-a-half years.
Another study published two years later looked at the effects of vitamin E alone, but this time, there was no benefit from supplementation. Researchers believe they can explain the apparently contradictory results by the fact that antioxidants, particularly vitamins C and E, work much better in tandem.
Experts who recommend supplements for Parkinson’s agree that higher-than-normal amounts of these nutrients are often needed. Dr. Perlmutter recommends 4,000 milligrams of vitamin C a day. Since this vitamin doesn’t stay in the body very long, you should take it in two separate doses of 2,000 milligrams each. Combine that with a once-daily dose of 800 international units of oil-based vitamin E, he suggests.
Lipoic acid is a unique substance. It isn’t really considered a vitamin because the body usually makes enough on its own, and what the body doesn’t make, it can get from food. In certain crisis situations, however, supplements of this special antioxidant can add some power.
The other supernova antioxidant stars are vitamins E and C. Vitamin E is fat-soluble, while vitamin C is water-soluble. In other words, vitamin E travels in a medium of fat molecules, while vitamin C needs a water medium to move about. Because of that exclusivity, each of these vitamins has a limited way to travel, which in turn limits the tissues on which either of them alone can have an effect. Lipoic acid, on the other hand, is both fat- and water-soluble, giving it an edge when it comes to protecting brain tissue, which is made up of both fatty and nonfatty tissue, says Germano.
That’s not all. Lipoic acid is also a “recycler” that keeps vitamins E and C in their active forms. It may also help raise levels of glutathione, according to a study by researchers at the University of California at Berkeley. This important substance is produced throughout the body, but people who have Parkinson’s often have a shortfall.
The dose of lipoic acid that Germano recommends for people who have Parkinson’s, 200 milligrams daily, appears to be completely safe. In studies, no harmful effects showed up in people who took as much as 800 milligrams daily for four months. This supplement can be dangerous for people who are thiamin deficient, however. If your doctor determines that you have a thiamin deficiency, you should take a B-complex vitamin that contains thiamin whenever you begin taking doses of lipoic acid.
Another antioxidant supplement to consider is lipoic acid. Although your body makes lipoic acid and you get some from food, there’s evidence that some people have a shortage of it. Having enough lipoic acid is important because it helps prolong the effectiveness of vitamins E and C. To help mount your defense against Parkinson’s disease, take 200 milligrams of lipoic acid daily with a meal, recommends Carl Germano, R.D., a registered/certified nutritionist in New York City and co-author of The Brain Wellness Plan.
Put Ginkgo on Guard
Ginkgo, the popular "memory herb," boosts blood circulation to the brain, but it appears to have additional positive effects on gray matter. In particular, it may offer hope for people with Parkinson’s.
Studies have shown that animals exposed to a neurotoxin called MPTP will develop symptoms that are identical to those of Parkinson’s disease. When they are pretreated with ginkgo extract, however, they don’t develop the symptoms, says Dr. Perlmutter.
Ginkgo performs its guardian gig through a process of membrane stabilization. By stabilizing nerve cell membranes, it helps prevent a breakdown of communication between the nerve cells. "It allows neurons to communicate with each other more readily," concludes Dr. Perlmutter.
Ginkgo has antioxidant properties that come in quite handy as well. "Ginkgo blocks the formation of free radicals that would otherwise be stimulated into destroying brain cells," says Dr. Perlmutter. Take 60 milligrams of ginkgo extract twice a day, he suggests.
Call on Coenzyme Q10
Coenzyme Q10 (coQ10) is a chemical with a dual personality. Not only does it help generate energy inside the microscopic cell bodies called mitochondria, it also functions as a powerful antioxidant.
CoQ10 is most often associated with treating heart disease, but people with Parkinson’s should take note as well, says Germano. A study by Harvard Medical School researchers showed that coQ10 protects certain neurons in the brain from the substance that produces Parkinson’s damage, according to Germano.
In terms of its antioxidant ability, coQ10 gives superhero vitamin E a run for its money. In fact, coQ10 appears to go one step farther than E, protecting not only the outer membranes of cells but their inner components as well. In this way, it may be able to defend vulnerable DNA (cell genetic blueprints) from the oxidative damage that seems to cause Parkinson’s, says Germano. He recommends taking 200 milligrams of coQ10 once a day with a meal.
Lift Liver Function with a Helpful Herb
Parkinson’s disease is often regarded as strictly a brain disorder, but addressing only the brain may mean missing out on other ways to ease the disease. "You need to look at the entire picture," says Germano. "There are many pathways to this disease." That means that there are many paths to healing as well.
When the body is dealing with the negative effects of a possible overload of toxins such as pesticides, liver function is crucial. In fact, Dr. Perlmutter believes that healing the liver can bring dramatic improvement to people who have Parkinson’s. "I have patients diagnosed with this disease in their thirties who respond beautifully to liver detoxification," he says.
One herb that’s linked to liver health is milk thistle. This herb, and the extract it yields, silymarin, are said to be powerful liver protectors. For anyone who regularly deals with pollutants like pesticides and who may thus be at higher risk for Parkinson’s, milk thistle is one of several herbs recommended by Germano. Take up to 300 milligrams of standardized milk thistle extract daily, he says.
Be Free of Dangerous Debris with Fiber
The liver isn’t the only body organ that processes toxins. Properly functioning intestines are also very important for whisking unwanted, potentially dangerous substances out of the body, says Dr. Perlmutter.
Unfortunately, many people who have Parkinson’s—who may have impaired detoxification abilities to begin with—also show signs of constipation, according to Jay Lombard, M.D., assistant clinical professor of neurology at Weill Medical College of Cornell University in New York City and co-author (with Germano) of The Brain Wellness Plan.
You could say that dietary fiber comes from the whisk in the whisk broom, since it’s the indigestible rough part of fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains—and it does a pretty fair broom imitation. Ample fiber in your diet cleans out the colon. Waste products—and possibly pesticide residues—have less time to corrupt sensitive intestinal walls.
The Daily Value for fiber is 25 grams. To reach that amount, make it a point to eat more unprocessed foods, including fresh produce and whole grains. You may need to go one step farther, though. "Almost every one of my Parkinson’s patients is on some form of supplemental fiber," says Dr. Lombard. If you’ve increased your dietary fiber but are still experiencing constipation problems, ask your doctor about healthy fiber supplements like Metamucil or Citrucel.
Lipoic Acid Boosts Vitamin Power