carbidopa levodopa vs. coconut oil

I started taking carbidopa levodopa one week ago. My first medicine. Tremors did not stop all week. Yesterday I consumed two tblsp coconut oil once at lunch time and again at dinner time. By evening my tremors stopped and stayed stopped through the night. Was it the CO or the C/L? Was it a placebo effect? Was it coincidental?

[beauxreflets]

Or a bit of both : all three ?

Glad the tremors have eased.

[Hikoi]

Agree with beauxreflets

And your question shows so well why we need proper controlled trials to get the answers Roy. Without them the answers will be our own interpretation which depends on personal beliefs and prejudices.

Then there are the quotes from personal experiences no other proof that are used to try and sell something so your experience would sell coconut oil.

People often read into things what they want and hope is true which is why the miracle workers always have a following despite lack of evidence.

[laglag]

I agree that it could be a little of all 3? I originally didn't have tremors (diagnosed 13 yrs ago), started taking coconut oil about 2 yrs ago, overall started feeling better, quit taking it about 3 or 4 mths ago & started having tremors about the same time. Didn't put 2 & 2 together until now. I will start taking coconut oil again tomorrow & report back to you in about a week. Hope you continue to feel better. I don't think I would quit taking the C/L. I believe a little goes a long way.

[Hidden in reply to laglag]

I will appreciate that report.

As I understand it takes a few days or weeks from the time one starts on C/L for the medicine to start having an effect.

I cannot say positively CO is helping. But I and my wife both believe it does have benefit. In the past when taking CO my wife comments that she could see a difference in how PD effected me.

Today I did not take any CO and cannot see a difference. At present time, trying to sleep tonight, no tremors. (tremors when sitting up) Same as last night with CO. I may or may not take CO tomorrow or in the future to continue this test. It would be swell if CO would actually reduce the tremors.

It is hard to explain comparing how I feel one day over another. But you may get the idea.

[Hikoi in reply to laglag]

Lag lag

That is interesting observations. its always the unsaid that I want to know like overall felt better, is it possible to be more specific or was it just a general feeling and what happened to that feeling when you stopped and why did you atop taking the oil.t? I'm curious about what happens when you restart so look forward to your report.

[BUZZ1397]

Personally I would be interested in trying that. I'd like to get exactly the same that you found helpful. Would you name the coconut oil supplement you bought?

[Hidden in reply to BUZZ1397]

“Therapeutic levels of MCTs have been studied at 20 grams per day. According to Dr. Newport's calculations, just over two tablespoons of coconut oil (about 35 ml or seven level teaspoons) would supply you with the equivalent of 20 grams of MCT, which is indicated as either a preventative measure against degenerative neurological diseases, or as a treatment for an already established case.”

articles.mercola.com/sites/...

naturalnews.com/042624_coco...

quote

Look for coconut oils that are non-hydrogenated with no transfat. Avoid coconut oils that are hydrogenated or super-heated because it changes the chemical structure of the fats. If you like the odor of coconut, look for products called “virgin,” “organic,” or “unrefined,” which are generally more expensive than “refined,” or “all natural,” or “RBD” (refined, bleached and deodorized) coconut oil, which do not have an odor. The oil itself is tasteless. Any of these have essentially the same nutrient with about 57-60% MCT oil (medium chain triglycerides.) The least expensive that I have been able to find so far is the Louanna brand at Walmart, priced locally at $5.44 per quart. Using coconut oil capsules is not an efficient way to give the oil since the capsules are relatively expensive and contain only 1 gram of oil per capsule, whereas the oil is 14 grams per tablespoon. Capsules might be useful for someone who will not take the oil.

[mistydog1 in reply to Hidden]

Do you mix the tablespoon of coconut oil in anything or take it plain?

[Hidden in reply to mistydog1]

Heat 1/3 coffee cup of coconut milk, the variety that contains 6g of sugar, place two tbsp. of coconut oil and after it melts in a moment, you have a tasty drink not unlike hot cocoa. For that matter, I sometimes add a chunk of unsweetened cocoa for flavor.

[Lynne1946 in reply to mistydog1]

I mix a teas. of co and a little bit of peanut butter on the same spoon-delicious!

[Rasa2006]

Is coconut water also effective like coconut oil?

[Hidden in reply to Rasa2006]

no

[laglag]

Hikoi,

The overall feeling is basically my energy level. My physical symptoms, until the tremors started recently, were mostly slowness, rigidity, as well as cognitive problems. Stress makes my symptoms worse. The coconut oil (CO) helped the rigidity, I was able to move better because my legs weren't as stiff, I could walk better & I could get out of a chair and my car easier than before I took the coconut oil. I don't have a big problem with depression, but who doesn't have some with PD, but the CO seemed to perk me up & gave me a bit more energy, that is the "overall feeling" I was referring to. Hopefully that help explain it.

BUZZ1397,

I like Nutiva Coconut Oil, extra virgin, cold pressed & unrefined. If you can't find it at your health food store, try Amazon.

Mistydog1,

I take 3 TBL. a day and I eat "healthy chocolate" so I usually dip my chocolate in the coconut oil or I spread it on a cinnamon graham cracker. Some people say they don't like the taste of it, but I don't really think it has much of a taste.

[Donzim]

Coconut oil is probably being used for energy when you can't use carbs for energy. Read up on equine polysaccharide myopathy aka 'tying up'. it is remarkably like PD. I suspect There may be a metabolic problem in humans processing carbs...there are 12 identified ones in humans but that doesn't mean there aren't unidentified ones. They are frequently hereditary as in EPSM which affects horses which are high strung with large haunches. They must have a special no carb, high fat diet and certain other restrictions for exercise...almost constant moving around but no galloping, trotting or cantering. Out of stalls where they stay in one place but in small corral where they meander and keep moving. For horses an attack can be devastating as they must have all fours or be put down. They get immediate DMSO for spinal inflammation, certain other supplements, a special high fat feed and if they are worth a lot, hyperbaric oxygen. If we had been money -making race horses, this would have been discovered about us. To my knowledge, no one has ever investigated the similarity. Horses get a tissue biopsy and it can be identified immediately. We had one doc who thought it was a possibility but we could never figure out how to get the biopsy done. We even had the lab name where to send it.

When my husband took it, CO gave him a lot of energy. So much that his tremor increased along with. It was probably worth the trade off it at the time it scare him so we stopped.Newport gave her husband 6 T on oatmeal and thought it took 6 hrs to kick in. You can get MCT but it is really hard on the gut. Gas like you can't believe.

I just melt the soft CO and down the hatch. We have started up again as a result of a recent crisis unrelated to PD.

There may well be other effects from the oil but I suspect this is the most likely. Will be glad to talk about these possibilities..it's jut another of my home made theories although I do but o to the gut/vagus/brain connection as well.

All you PDers Please consider the use of theanine and lavender oil capsules to ease the anxiety issue. We use 1500 mg daily in split doses of theanine, it last us about 3- 3 1/2 hrs. I found 200mg caps.@

[Hidden]

This is my second night without coconut oil. I had less tremor than the night before and less trouble sleeping. Personally I do not believe CO is helpful to the degree I had hoped. That decision based on trial and error.

Monica sends me this video on the subject of coconut oil. I believe CO had benefit for Doc Mary Newport and her husband. So I would not write off CO altogether.

youtube.com/watch?v=yxR24JM...(Not working as expected?)

[Hikoi in reply to Hidden]

Steves improvement has not continued as has been posted here before. There is a trial probably started hope it gives some answers

[HeartSong]

RoyProp, I have been taking both C/L and CO for about 4 years now. I usually just take 1 tablespoon with breakfast. A few times I've tried taking a tablespoon several times throughout the day. A few other times I've stopped taking it all together. I can't say that I've noticed it making any difference in the Parkinson's symptoms. However, I think it gives me just a bit more energy, but I'm not certain.

[Hidden]

coincidental.. continued use of C/L did not stop my tremor, nor did CO