Is anyone out there taking mucuna dopa along with prescirbed Levadopa?

[Xabojuro2]

I was thinking of enhancing my prescribed Levodopa whit mucuna .. is this a good/bad idea?

[Greenday]

I've noticed positive results when replaced 100/25mg Madopar (levodopa / benserazide) with, 50mg of Madopar + half scoop (3.75g) Zandopa. Possibly the 12.5mg benserazide in Madopar gives that extra boost to natural levodopa when taken with half the dosage of Zandopa mucuna. This is not an advice, just a personal experience and only relates to Zandopa and not to other mucuna product. I will keep noticing whether this synergistic effect is long lasting.

[Xabojuro2 in reply to Greenday]

so effectively you have halved your intake of prescribed medication. i am on medopar 100/25 six times a day.

[Greenday in reply to Xabojuro2]

Correct!

[trishjaustin in reply to Greenday]

Hi Greenday. My husband uses Zandopa and has experienced positive results as well. He takes Zandopa by itself as well as Sinemet by itself. Do you find that taking the two together helps. He is curious about your regiment. I hope you don’t mind me asking. Do you take the two together with every dose? How many doses of Sinement and Zandopa do you take daily? He is trying to take the least amount necessary but he always worries that he is needing/taking too much on a daily basis. Thanks!

[trishjaustin in reply to trishjaustin]

Sorry Madopar, not Sinemet.

[Greenday in reply to trishjaustin]

How much Zandopa and madopar does you husband take ?

I am currently experimenting with different regimens such as :

a) 100/25mg madopar 4 times /day

b) 1 full scoop (7.5g) of Zandopa 4 times /day

* c) combination of half the dose of madopar (50/12.5mg) with half scoop of mucuna (3.75g), 10-15min apart, 4 times a day

d) combinations of the above.

PD symptoms are not consistent in intensity and number and therefore dosages and frequency are adapted accordingly, however the dosages described are the optimal so far.

The combination of halved doses of Zandopa and mucuna brings a noticeable sense of euphoria, which almost uplifting, an increase of energy and mobility and a reduction of peripheral symptoms such as dystonia. I take Zandopa approx 10-15min after madopar, since Zandopa is faster acting.

So far the combination of half doses of madopar and mucuna appears the most effective, especially compared to Zandopa alone. The positive effect lasts for approx. 3.5h

I will keep experimenting for longer and will update as more time is needed to clearly distinguish and verify the efficacy and duration of each regimen through time in order to make safe conclusions. The above is a personal experience and should not be taken as an advice

[cshamb]

I CAN JUST SPEAK FROM MY EXPERIENCE BUT I HAVE BEEN TAKING MUCUNA WITH MY SIMINET FOR A COUPLE O F YEARS.I THINK IT HAS HELPED AND HAS STOPPED ME FROM INCREASING THE SEMINET. IT HAS BEEN USED IN INDIA FOR MANY YEARS AS TREATMENT FOR PD. WE HAVE SOME INDIAN FRIENDS WHO SAID TAKE IT. I HAVE HAD NO SIDE EFFECTS BUT I AM NOT AN EXPERT. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IT WON'T HURT U. I TAKE A NOW PRODUCT FROM THE HEALTH FOOD STORE. COST IS ABOUT $15 FOR 90 CAPS OR U CAN BUY IT IN BULK POWDER. THERE R MANY OTHERS ON THE BLOG WITH MORE INFO. THERE IS A GREAT BOOK BY A SPANISH DOCTOR THAT GOES INTO ALL THE BENEFITS OF DOPA MUCUNA. CHECK ON LINE FOR MORE INFO. HOPE THIS HELPS.

[johntPM]

How is your current regimen not working?

Have you tried increasing your prescribed levodopa?

John

[Hidden]

Take care as you can overdose on levodopa.

[Despe]

For those not taking conventional meds, what is best, the whole bean extract or the seed extract? I have been searching but haven't decided yet which is the best form.

Thank you!

[Greenday in reply to Despe]

Whole mucuna powder processed from mucuna seeds with an average levodopa concentration of 4-6% showed its efficacy and superiority over levodopa alone in multiple human studies and with the fewer side effects.

Zandopa and many other mucuna products contain mucuna processed from seeds. Mature mucuna Seeds have the highest concentration of levodopa in the plant

The following recent study used a preparation of mucuna powder from mucuna seeds.

Mucuna pruriens in Parkinson disease. A double-blind, randomized, controlled, crossover study ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

[Kwinholt]

I had asked my dr about macuna for me , I’m currently taking 6 25/100 cd/ld azilect and Comtan, he said he doesnt suggest that for me. I’m very active and my current regimen has been working and he says why throw in something else and he is right. I’m happy to hear about all the other people that are having benefits from it.

[Greenday in reply to Kwinholt]

To understand the benefits of the whole mucuna powder over levodopa and levodopa drugs I suggest you read the article at salubrainous.com/mucuna-pru...

Also the book of the neurologist Rafael Gonzales Maldonado mucunaparkinson.com/about-d...

and the recent human study. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

Few possible benefits:

Less likely to cause dyskinesia compared to levodopa drugs.

Faster acting

Less toxicity in higher concentrations compared to synthetic levodopa in animal studies.

Of course your doctor is correct based on his medical knowledge and your current state, but as the disease progresses the efficacy of levodopa wanes off and more levodopa is needed to manage symptoms. Eventually levodopa drugs stop to be as effective and high concentrations may increase the severity of side effects such as dyskinesia.

[maryalice]

I am taking 600mg. of 99% Mucana extract with 1/2 a tablet of Sinemet 25/100 together. I am also taking some other supplements. I take them all at the same time. I started with 200 mg Mucana and built up to 600 mg slowly I just recently started ta(ing the 1/2 tablet of Sinemet with the Mucana and have seen a big difference. There is a lot of information on the Web about Mucana as well as on this site. I Hope this helps.

[Greenday in reply to maryalice]

You are actually taking 99% natural levodopa + 1% Mucuna. Could you tell whether the combination with Sinemet gives you a longer on-time?

[maryalice]

I am taking L-DOPA 100% extract made from the Mucuna plant. It is made by NUTRA VITA and I order it from EBay. I buy the 50 gram bag. It is a powder, so you have to measure it out. Here is the web site: I started out with 200 mg and slowly worked up to 600 mg.

nutrivitashop.com/l-dopa-10...

L-DOPA 100% PURE LEVODOPA MUCUNA PRURIENS DOPAMINE

NUTRA VITA SHOp $19.95

I also take 200 mg of ECGC which is supposed to carry the Mucuna to the brain, since there is no Levodopa in the Mucuna powder.

I also take Quercetin, 1000 mg of Salmon Oil, 1000 mg. of vitamin C and 50 mg of Milk Thistle, and 100 mg of Magnesium. When I take the Mucuna powder I mix it in juice or green tea. I take it once or twice a day, depending on how I feel along with these other supplements.

It is also important that you take it on an empty stomach. You need to wait at least half an hour after taking it before you eat or wait 3 hours to take it if you have already eaten.

Someone on Health Unlocked told me about this combination. It made me feel better,but then it wasn't working as well. I am going to an MD from India, so she is a little familiar with L-DOPA from Mucuna. She suggested that I try taking 1/2 of a tablet of 25/100 Sinemet with the Mucuna and supplements. I have been doing it for about a month and it has helped me I can function much better. It last about 3 to 4 hours depending on what I am doing.

The thing is we are all so different that there isn't just one way to do things. I remember reading that there are some medications you shouldn't take with this. You really have to research it yourself. Google Mucuna and there is a lot of information. Keep asking questions on this site. You also would be better to be under a doctor's supervision. You might want to research DR. Hinz Protocol. He did a lot of research on the Mucuna plant.

I told you the little I know. Hope it helps.

[maryalice]

I responded to your question above.