Growth Factor appears to be what we should all be learning about. Why?

[JohnPepper]

Dr Google says the following:

Growth factors are naturally occurring regulatory molecules, which bind to receptors on the cell surface. They stimulate cell and tissue function through influencing cell differentiation by changing their biochemical activity and cellular growth, and regulating their rate of proliferation.

Growth factors are quite versatile, stimulating cellular division in numerous different cell types; while others are specific to a particular cell-type.

Wikipedia states:

A growth factor is a naturally occurring substance capable of stimulating cellular growth,[1] proliferation,

healing, and cellular differentiation. Usually it is a protein or a steroid hormone. Growth factors are important for regulating a variety of cellular processes.

So, if we could find out what causes our bodies to produce these growth factors, we can replace or repair damaged cells. In our case these are the dopamine producing cells in our brain and the Growth Factor is called GDNF (Glial Derived Neurotrophic Factor) and that repairs or replaces those cells and gives us more natural Dopamine.

Why are scientists not looking for natural ways of producing more GDNF in our brains to overcome Pd?

I think that Fast Walking does just that.

[Scott714]

Always good to hear from you.

[JohnPepper in reply to Scott714]

Thanks!

[andrehypnotic]

Dr Pepper I fully agree with you.

[JohnPepper in reply to andrehypnotic]

Thanks for the promotion, or was it sarcasm? I am not a doctor, just a patient who has had experience in successfully dealing with Pd and have no desire to make a business out of it. I want to find a CURE and I believe it to e possible.

[beauxreflets]

"To get GDNF to the brain cells that need it, participants had 4 tubes carefully placed into their brains that were connected to a small port behind their ear. This device allowed GDNF to be passed directly through the tubes to the affected brain areas with pinpoint accuracy."

In my understanding John: This is a high risk procedure ; +With an extremely very high risk following on when a 'top up' is required... How does one ensure the inserted tubes will remain adequately sealed & sterile in between treatments!!!! ?

That said; one hopes that somewhere a scientist or two may be looking at better ways to get existing GDNF more activated.

How are you so sure your Fast walking is 'factually' & beyond doubt actually producing GDNF?

Is there a scientific way to find out levels of GDNF without a biopsy of brain tissues?

I am not knocking or mocking you; I would love a Cure like every sufferer and my questions are towards seeking a way forward via collective thought and joint effort.

Regards

Andy

[TomandDon in reply to beauxreflets]

Hi Andy,

John was not recommending any procedure like you referenced, but gave some information about GDNF, asked the question: "Why are scientists not looking for natural ways of producing more GDNF in our brains to overcome Pd?

" and made the statement: "I think that Fast Walking does just that."

Here is a link with information obout GDNF and includes 67+ ways to naturally increase GDNF (with references) mybiohack.com/blog/gdnf-wha...

Here is the copied list of Lifestyle factors that affect GDNF from the above site :

Lifestyle/Diet

Calorie Restriction (Ketogenic Diet) R

Exercise (like HIST) R R

Green Tea R

Intermittent Fasting R

Plantains R

Stress Reduction (GDNF is suppressed by stress) R

If you go to that siye and click on the R it takes you to the referenced study for that factor. Hope this helps..

Tom

[beauxreflets in reply to TomandDon]

Thanks Tom, I will research more.

The quoted bit in my earlier post was from a Parkinson.UK page highlighting the problem for the GDNF treatment trial being posed by the BBB

Thanks again Tom, I found this of interest ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

And I guess GDNF may not work in some cases because of autoimmune factors kicking in.

Lots to learn though.

[JohnPepper in reply to beauxreflets]

I see nothing about how exercise produces GDNF. Am I missing something?

[JohnPepper in reply to TomandDon]

Hi Tom. There is talk about exercise but no specifics.

GDNF will not pass through the Blood Brain Barrier (BBB) so why take substances that have GDNF, when they will not get into the brain?

[JohnPepper in reply to beauxreflets]

Hi Andy. Because I did two years of high level exercise in the gym for 90 minutes six day a week and watched my Pd get progressively worse, and then stopped going to the gym and started doing fast walking, slowly building up from 20 minutes every second day to one hour every second day over a six month period reduced my symptoms quite noticeably. 4 years later nobody would ever have noticed that I had Pd.

Why can't we do a trial on this?

[hercules957 in reply to JohnPepper]

Interesting observation John. I fast walk daily 45 - 60 but I also do other strenuous activities (not every day, maybe 4t/w) I have wondered if doing too much might not be helpful with progression. All I read about this is do more and more to reduce progression

[JohnPepper in reply to hercules957]

My story gives you the answer to your question "If doing too much might not be helpful with progression?"

For the first two years, after diagnosis, I went to the gym every day for 90 minutes and watched my Pd get worse at a faster rate than it had before diagnosis.

When I started to walk fast for only 20 minutes every second day, increasing it by 5 minutes every second week until I was doing one hour, my symptoms started to get better!

After only 4 months of this regimen they showed strong signs of improvement.

After 4 years, nobody would ever know I still had Pd, other than a trained professional.

After another 4 years I was able to come off all Pd medication and have been medication-free since 2002.

Look at my profile and contact me on reverseparkinsons.net

[SilentEchoes in reply to hercules957]

The medical opinion is that if you fatigue the mitochondria (PD involves mitochondrial dysfunction) it contributes to the progression of neurodegeneration.

Exercise promotes many beneficial biological processes. You need to find the balance between promoting the positive effects and minimizing damage from over exertion.

I was diagnosed with Parkinsonism with tremors now changed to motor neuron disease. Overworking muscles causes the neurons to die faster.

Mind your mitochondria.

SE

[danfitz]

Ibogaine stimulates GDNF in the brain.

[JohnPepper in reply to danfitz]

When you say stimulates GDNF do you mean produces more?

[danfitz in reply to JohnPepper]

Yes

[danfitz in reply to danfitz]

link.springer.com/content/p...

[JohnPepper in reply to danfitz]

GDNF cannot pass the Blood Brain Barrier (BBB) therefore we cannot successfully take GDNF orally.

My point is that the very name GDNF tells us that it is produced naturally in the brain itself. Therefore, why do we not spend our BUCKS on finding ways to produce more GDNF naturally?

[JohnPepper in reply to danfitz]

What is the outcome of using Obogaine? Have you personally used it?

[danfitz in reply to JohnPepper]

Yes. I am about 40 days into a micro dose regimen of approximately 20mg twice a day together with a B vitamin complex. The results are quite encouraging. I have posted them elsewhere on this site if you are interested.

[danfitz in reply to danfitz]

I plan on completing 180 days and then evaluating the results.

[JohnPepper in reply to danfitz]

20 mg of what? I was not aware that we can get any growth factor through the Blood Brain Barrier.

[danfitz in reply to JohnPepper]

20 mg of ibogaine. Ibogaine crosses the BBB. It then stimulates the production of GNDF in the brain. This is what has caused the interest in ibogaine.

[JohnPepper in reply to danfitz]

Yes! I am very interested.

[JohnPepper]

Are you sure Ibogaine produces more GDNF? Have they done any trials on it? Can they measure the amount of GDNF in the brain?

[danfitz in reply to JohnPepper]

Yes. Ibogaine increases GDNF production in the brain.

[JohnPepper in reply to danfitz]

Not trying to be difficult. Are there any published studies on it?

[danfitz in reply to JohnPepper]

Google ibogaine GDNF.

[JohnPepper]

I have read through all that information and not being able to understand most of it, I came out with the following impressions:

Ibogaine is intended for drug addicts and drunks, and I am not not either of those .

Ibogaine has serious side effects: Despite its attractive properties, Ibogaine can induce severe side-effects such as hallucinations, whole-body tremors and ataxia that may be related to neurotoxicity in the cerebellum and dysregulation of the cardiovascular system

I therefore repeat my question: Have any studies been done on the use of Ibogaine?

[SilentEchoes]

IGF-1 does cross the blood brain barrier and deer antler velvet is a natural source.

link.springer.com/article/1...

[kaypeeoh in reply to SilentEchoes]

I'm reading Spark, the new science of exercise and the brain. IGF-1 is one of dozen factors stimulated by exercise.