Having read the various posts on Coconut Oil, I am going to start this week. I plan to use it in the making of my fresh fruit smoothie I make every morning to have with my porridge
I would appreciate if those who use it and find it beneficial could confirm to me:
How much do you use each time?
How much do you use per day?
How do you take it?
What benefits do you see?
Thank you in advance
Kind regards
Before jumping in, I always recommend reading Mary Newport's book, to learn about ketones..
I would recommend you start off very easy @ 1 tsp x 3 per day, and slowly increase as desired. Some people have problems with digestion..
I believe coconut oil is an easy and good place to start learning about how ketones affect your medical condition. Unfortunately the serum ketone levels achievable are quite limited if you are consuming carbohydrates in your meal plan. However many have been satisfied with simply adding coconut oil to a carbohydrate based meal plan.
For your own peace of mind, regarding the consumption of saturated fat contained in coconut oil, I would recommend that you ask your doctor to get blood work done before you start taking coconut oil and after several months of steady consumption. Most people see a remarkable improvement in LDL, HDL and Triglycerides.
Thx Satwar
Good advice: build up slowly. I have heard different people gettig good result from 2T-12T/day. I am nearly symptom free on 8T (2T at B, L, D, BEDTIME). Started 11 months ago, been level at 8T Since July. First Post:
healthunlocked.com/parkinso...
Also see my website:
My benefits have continued for 11 months!
Best wishes; I hope that you are one of the ones that benefits.
Fwes
Fwes, do you also avoid carbohydrates in your diet as satwar said above? Wondering if it's necessary for the coconut oil to be totally effective.
Many have reported improvement, while maintaining carbohydrate consumption, including myself.
However for me, eliminating carbohydrate, improved my symptoms considerably. I was getting intermittent ketone crashes, likely because of my insulin resistance (indicated by high fasting glucose of 140). Eliminating carbs cured my insulin resistance (fasting glucose now 75) and eliminated my ketone crashes.
I should also clarify that my ketone crashes only became bothersome after 6-8 months of symptom improvement from ingesting coconut oil @ 12 TBS per day. I seemed to be a victim of my success. Low carb immediately solved the problem for me.
To quote "The Art & Science of Low Carbohydrate Living":
In most people, the combined intake of 100 grams of carbohydrate and 100 grams of protein will drive serum ketones well below 0.5 mM.
That being said, I believe more science is required to determine how much ketone is optimum for improving symptoms. More is not always better.
Satwar and I agree on many issues and I counsel that you read his advice carefully. He has been methodical and has kept a journal of his methods, successes and failures.
BUT, we are all different (age, time with PD, physiology, etc.). Further complications:
(1) there have been no medical studies on CO impact on PD symptoms so there is no medical guidance on dosage, collateral diet, etc.
(2) even if we knew something, legal restrictions on medical practice without a license would inhibit our giving advice.
WHAT WE CAN DO IS SHARE OUR EXPERIENCES. When several PWP's, who have a similar situation, employ a similar strategy, and experience a similar result, we begin to take notice and perhaps some copy-cats are attracted. If the copy-cats report mostly positive outcomes, the STATISTICAL evidence for a definable strategy strengthens. The point of our Non-clinical CO Trial is to build a database of cases, which is suitable for this kind of STATISTICAL ANALYSIS. This approach can provide some useful information only if (1) there are enough cases to support meaningful statistical inferences, and (2) the copy-cats report their failures as well as their successes.
What works for me: 8T per day, spurn high-glycemic index carbs and consciously lean to more protein and less total carb, but certainly not Ketogenic. Weight gain is a problem: if I load up on carbs, I gain quickly, and it is hard to lose weight with this diet.I may be forced into intermittent Ketogenic diets for weight control. So far, I have had eleven months of minimal PD symptoms.
Hope this helps.
Please help us by reporting your results in our Non-clinical CO Trial.
fwes
glad to see a current post by you on your progress with coconut oil. I've seen your older posts and started taking it. So far so good!
Hey Marion - how much do you take? I have had problems getting it but today, I went to Costco and they are selling these massive tubs. I've started with 2 Table spoons in mymorning Fruit Smoothie.
I just bought 54 oz of nutiva organic extra virgin coconut oil through Lucky Vitamins-they have it on sale. It was 39% off and was $31 with shipping. I was taking 2 tablespoons at least twice a day in coffee, but now make 'fat bombs' and eat 1 3Xday. they are tasty. You mix coconut oil 1/2 cup with 4 or 5 tablespoons of unsweetened dark baking cocoa and a little honey, then pour it into a flexible ice cube tray or candy mold. Stick it in the fridge for 15 minutes to harden. It's a tastier way to get my coconut oil. I added 1/4 cup of almond butter to the last batch and they are really good. There are recipes all over the internet. Easy to make, and tastier.
A clinical trial using coconut oil for Alzheimer's has just begun. They are using a commercial coconut oil product called "Food for Thought". 1 oz is taken 3 x per day. I have been taking it for 10 days and monitoring my finger tapping and ball rolling performance with absolutely no improvement. I hope you have better luck!
I would suggest that several months is more appropriate trial period than several days. Even with coconut oil, symptom improvements may take years to fully materialize.
That being said, many of us have concerns about the use of "Fuel for Thought" in the USF coconut oil trial for Alzheimer's. It is very convenient to use, and tasty, but at what expense. Some have reported good results but others have not. I am concerned about the high sugar content, a simple carbohydrate, that from personal experience wrecks havoc with my serum ketones when ingested.
I would agree with Satwar that we need long term outcomes they will be interesting as this area is largely unknown.
Mary Newport who started the recent interest with her book was investigating how to help her husband who has Alzheimers. He improved for a while (it appears to be about 2 years)
In The 2013 TV programme Canada (available on internet) Dr Newport says he is now in later stages dementia and she does not expect him to live.
Yes, he started having seizures. Certainly a very unwelcome turn of events when already suffering from early onset Alzheimer's.
Yes you are correct, he did not suffer a stroke, I spoke to Mary Newport about it, to clarify the confusion of the news coverage when it was initially reported. My mistake today.
What is desperately needed are scientific studies on ketone therapy for treating neurological disease. Mary Newport's efforts on establishing an Alzheimer's trial with USF are ground breaking. Hopefully a study on PD will follow on the heels of the Alzheimer's trial
The good news is that the ketone research field is virtually wide open for bright young researchers to make a name for themselves. I was just reading about some work USF has undertaken with the US Navy Seals to develop a pill that elevates serum ketones to prevent divers from having seizures when using oxygen rebreathers at great depths.
Satwar,
I wish you well in your endeavours and I am interested in reading your reports.
As to the report of Steve Newport suffering a stroke i believe that was reported but not true. Certainly he had seizures. This is a chronology from interviews with Dr Newport. It gives the bigger picture.
2006 Steve started alzheimer medication
2008 May started coconut oil. Reported in Tampa news that over the next five years Steve got worse then got better, a cycle repeated many times.
2008 - Dr Newport on TV promoting coconut oil
2010 health declines, depression, hallucinations, sleep problems
2012. Began valium for sleep, acute psychotic episode, hospitalised. Stopped alzheimer medication
2013 May seizure thought to be related to Alzheimers
2013 June description of Steve Newport now 63 years old, still walks, but very slowly. He can't be left alone. He wanders around the house, watches television and listens to music. He get confused and weepy. He forgets his wife's name.
How long did it take before you saw any improvement? Before switching to "Fuel for Thought", I was taking 2 Tbs of fractionated coconut oil 3 X day and started having "oil leaks". The "Fuel" was much better tolerated.
Sounds like you have a low tolerance for coconut oil. :"Fuel for Thought" sounds like it's worth a try, but give it a few months before rejecting it. There's also Low Carbohydrate diet that will elevate ketones in your blood much higher than coconut oil, but requires a lot of reading and understanding. There's also a ketone salt product which boosts serum ketone almost immediately but is short lived and doesn't taste very good. It is very effective in controlling my symptoms, but it is very expensive ($75 per 400ml - 30 ml per dose). It is most effective when on a ketogenic diet, but not a requirement. I use it on rough days when my serum ketone levels from nutritional ketosis is not quite doing the job for me.
I started out with 2 TBS x 2 per day. Within two weeks I had a more positive mood, less dizzy, my mind felt clearer (less foggy) and I experienced brief periods of no tremor in right arm and hand while at rest
After a month increased 2 TBS x 3 per day. Hand writing improved, less tension in feet and less tremor in right foot & leg. Walking speed improved. Improved sleeping, no longer felt like I was run over by a truck when arising from bed.. Balance improving. Started to notice a great calmness throughout body after a brisk one hour walk.
After two months noticed tendancy to drag right foot greatly reduced. Less numbness and cramping in toes
Satwar;
Tengo menos de 2 años del diagnostico de Parkinson, tengo 69 años y tomo 1/2 pastilla de Sinemet, 4 veces al dí. Además Sifrol de 3 mg. en la mañana y de 1.5 en la tarde.
Mis manos tiemblan pero lo que mas me molesta es el desequilibrio (unbalance). 2 veces a la semana tomo terapia para el equilibrio y la coordinación y 2 veces también yoga. Es una enfermedad que me averguenza y no quiero llegar a los momentos de disquinesias o a usar silla de ruedas. Le doy las gracias si Ud. me recomienda alguna dieta o sobre el aceite de coco. Vivo en la Ciudad de Mexico y hay tiendas GNC, Costco, etc.
Un saludo cordial para Ud. y las gracias por su atención.
Guadalupe
Hi gmunsot, - Amantadine 100MG is very effective in preventing Dyskinesia in my experience
Exercise as much as you can is VERY good for PwP
Good Luck
Hola Froggatt55.
Thank you very much for your answer. Did you have Dyskinesia? And what is amantadine.
Sorry for my English. Do you speak Italian?
Regards.
Guadalupe (Mexico City)
Hi gmunsot,
As you know none of us are medical doctors so I can't make any recommendations other than to relate from my own experience what works for me. The first line of defense I use for keeping myself out of a wheelchair is taking brisk daily walks of ~ 1 hour. Not only does vigorous exercise make me feel good when you stop but it keeps my walking muscles remembering how to walk.
Unfortunately I was losing my ability to walk, but I coincidently started taking coconut oil, and I regained my ability to walk correctly. I started at 1 TBS CO @ each meal. I was so impressed with the improvement in my symptoms that I slowly built up 10-12 TBS per day. Unfortunately I also experiencing crashes, when the effect of CO would wear off. I first tried spreading my dosages out across the day @ 1 TBS per hour, which was successful, but I then discovered the virtues of a low carb diet (The Art & science of Low Carbohydrate Living by Phinney & Volek) in sustaining serum ketones. I continue to explore the low carb diet, to determine which foods work best for me.
Hope this helps
Como usted sabe ninguno de nosotros somos médicos así que no puedo hacer ninguna recomendación que no sean de relacionarse de mi propia experiencia lo que funciona para mí. La primera línea de defensa que utilizo para mantenerme fuera de la silla de ruedas está tomando caminatas diarias a paso ligero de aproximadamente 1 hora . No sólo el ejercicio vigoroso me hace sentir bien cuando usted deja pero mantiene los músculos de mi caminar recordando cómo caminar .
Por desgracia yo estaba perdiendo la capacidad de caminar, pero coincidentemente comencé a tomar el aceite de coco , y recobré mi capacidad para caminar correctamente. Empecé a 1 TBS CO @ de cada comida. Yo estaba tan impresionado con la mejoría en los síntomas que poco a poco he construido 10-12 TBS por día. Por desgracia, también está experimentando los accidentes , cuando el efecto de CO desaparecería . Primero intenté abrir mis dosis por todo el día @ 1 TBS por hora , que fue un éxito, pero luego descubrí las virtudes de una dieta baja en carbohidratos ( El arte y la ciencia de la vida baja en carbohidratos por Phinney y Volek ) en el mantenimiento de cetonas en suero . Sigo explorar la dieta baja en carbohidratos , para determinar qué alimentos funcionan mejor para mí.
Espero que esto ayude
Satwar;
Thank you very much for your answer. My English is very little but in of to understod you.
I hope to find the coco oil tablets in a GNC store, there are many in Mexico and also tray with the low carbs diet. ¡Oh! I love pasta, bread, rice, coca cola, etc. but I decided not to be close of a weelchair. I wish your opinion about the diskinesias, when a PD is in danger of them. As you see I am new in PD at my age (69) could you explain to me what means Ketones.
I hope you undertand my words and again, thank you for your attention.
Regards.
Guadalupe (Mexico City)
Look at contents (and intent) "Food for Thought". Mostly water.
Thanks for the answers. I have no intent of reducing my carbs right now so I guess coconut oil is not for me right now, although i did enjoy cooking with it.
Will other oils, e.g. fish oil (omega 3), olive oil, DHA affect coconut oil absorption?
Not at all, but eating carbohydrate can put a heavy damper on your blood ketone levels very sharply. Some people can tolerate more carbohydrate than others. Yes a Low Carbohydrate diet is a potential avenue for improving your symptoms. I'm using this method and very pleased with results, because I was Insulin resistant (carbohydrate intolerant). Lots of reading to do before taking this route though.
Coconut oil is delicious in coffee and other beverages. You don't need any complicated recipes. My sense of smell returned a few months after I started taking it. Now my motor symptoms are reduced too. I take 8 Tbs a day but started gradually.
Hi Froggatt55, since yesterday I have put 3 tsp in my black tea - one cup at night and one in the morning. It has no taste, a little oily on you lips, but I regard that as moisturing! I use it in food, I don't think you can "overdose" with CO.
I am curious about the low-carb diet. What does one eat? I am on levo-carb and so watching my protein carefully, avoiding it with in an hour or two of taking meds. It definitely does make a difference. Complex carbs, whole grains, beans, veggies are the mainstay of my diet. I have read the Newport book as my husband has young onset Alzheimer's. We noticed some benefit from the CO early on but the progression is rapid as is typical for younger onset patients and it is hard to see any benefit now. Of course, there is nothing to compare it to. He is in the habit of taking it so continues on his own. It does no harm and has not affected his really good HDL LDL levels. I am fascinated by this discussion and grateful for the forum. For me, exercise has been a lifesaver. May I add that I stopped taking Azilect today, to see if it helps the dyskinesia in my arm and hand. I would be interested in hearing from anyone else who was on it and stopped ...why? and what did you notice?
I'd recommend reading "The Art & Science of Low Carbohydrate Living" before you go too far. It is a good book because it explains science behind the diet, and spends a lot of time talking about ketones, and how they improve the functioning of the brain. The low carb diet is different for everyone and you use a ketone meter to monitor your blood levels to fine tune your food choices and eating habits. Not only do you restrict carbs, but you must watch your protein intake as well. The diet makes it easy to lose weight because your body learns to get it's energy from fat, which if not coming from your diet comes from your stores of fat on your body. You have to be ready to consume a lot of fat (up to 85% of your calories coming from fat) to remain in nutritional ketosis and not lose weight.
I'm not a cook, so I keep things simple. I typically start my day with coconut oil, bacon & eggs (a slab of butter blended into the eggs) and a blackberry smoothie made with rich whipping cream (35 %MF). My lunch/dinner comprises of coconut oil, cream cheese on celery, mixture of pumpkin seeds & hemp seeds, 100 g serving of wild salmon or steak, low starch veggies (broccoli, kale & red cabbage) covered with a slab of butter, 1/2 avocado and another blackberry smoothie. This diet works for me for maintaining my weight and remaining in nutritional ketosis.
yes, coconut oil has very positive effects...by the way, has anyone on this site dispensed altogether with their neurologist? I see mine for 10 mins , once per year, and find the experience very disappointing. i get more help from my (uk) gp!
I have not seen my neurologist since I was first diagnosed November 2012. He advised me not to read about Parkinson's from the internet. I took the opposite approach and read most everything I could find. After my research, I decided to not take prescription medicine until absolutely forced to. I work my diet. Last week I bought a blood meter to assist in monitoring. In two weeks I will be examined by my family doctor and also at that time have a full blood work analysis.
hey Royprop - I di not start medication until about 3 years into my Pd. I only use medication that I have researched - with the exception of Azilect which was recommended by Roger Barker of Cambridge - who I think is the bet Neurologist in the world/ Interestingly, he is of the view that you are better to start medication before you absolutely have to
When you decide to start, you might think of starting with Azilect
Kind regards
@ "froghat"
That is the life of PwP: each has a different experience, different rate of progression, different personal diet, different viewpoints from health professionals and different among PwP. I say the common denominator to P is the diet. If we only knew what that was. Yes, I have distant relative that was a PwP but that does not convince me there is a gene cause.
About 15% of people with PD have a relative with it. I think genes are a cause for some people. Have you watched the video my father my brother and me?
@ Hikoi
some people and their genes ~ smile
About 15% of people with any condition have a corresponding relative, distant or near, with .....
I have no evidence that what you say is correct but if i do know there are now genes identified with Parkinsons.
pdf.org/en/genetics__parkin...
No - but I'm thinking of changing mine. We need to be careful because we might need a Neurologist if anything major comes out of Research
Coconut Oil
Coconut Oil or MCT Oil
Coconut oil
