PROTIEN

[JIMOC]

How can i determine if protein meals are blocking levadopa uptake

[Natlp2]

Have you been on l-dopa long enough to establish a pattern...to know how you typically react? For me, i did not start out having a problem with protein, but over the last year or so it has developed. If i don't take my l-dopa approx. 40 minutes before eating animal protein, it's as if i never took my meds. Some people report less issues with plant protein but i have not experimented enough to comment.

[Bailey_Texas]

Don't eat any protein for a few days and see what happens. For me it is not how much protein i eat but how much i eat. If i eat a big meal ( where i fell full) my meds do not work at all regardless of what i ate.

[Teafor22 in reply to Bailey_Texas]

Hi. My doctor sayed. 3 oz at lunch. 3 oz dinner is. Ok. For protein

[jujulini]

i take sinemet every 2 hrs, and i take it 30 min before i eat, and at least one hr after the meal. i also do not eat any meat, fish, or eggs until dinner (my last dose of the day is at 6, and i go to bed early). at breakfast and lunch, can only eat small amounts of bread, cheese, or cream/milk, and i keep the meal size small. if im not careful with these things, i have "off" time, sometimes severe after the sinemet dose following the meal. so, example, i take sinemet at 12:00, eat some protein at lunch at 12:30, take my next dose of sinemet at 2:00, & will feel way "off" around 2:15 - 2:30, will not feel "on" until after the following dose at 4:00. i could take a dose about 3:00 that would kick in. but, otherwise i have "off" time for one or two hrs. if i stick to my schdule, i dont have any "off" time during the day.

[annmariebaird]

I would guess that if you are asking this question, you are probably one of us that protein becomes a problem. I can tell within minutes of eating protein because suddenly my meds are not working. My solution was to go vegan - but be sure to find a dietitian who understands Parkinsons so they can help you get your protein from plants - very important!

[HealthSeeker7]

My husband too has learned that being vegan and not eating too much at a time makes a huge difference in the amount of L-dopa he absorbs. You can get all the protein you need from plant foods, even those with the lowest amount - potatoes and rice. But digesting and absorbing animal protein (meat and dairy) takes a lot of effort, so the body prioritizes that over absorbing PD meds.

Just think about it ... have you ever seen a case of protein deficiency in the developed world, or a protein deficiency wing in a hospital? Its more important to get the fiber, vitamins and minerals plant foods provide than to worry about getting loads of protein.