Transitioning from aNOW product for my levodopa to a purer levodopa and I sense a loss of some benefit in the absence of the NOW caps

[BUZZ1397]

I have seen Posts that claim there is benefit from taking naturally sourced levodobo that Contains ingredients beyond the desired levodopa. I believe it now. Anyone combine 98% pure with a more raw product with good results?

[Hidden]

I am getting amazing results from this: Banyan Botanicals Kapikacchu... amazon.com/dp/B00DV00MIQ?re...

Take only with water.

[munchybunch in reply to Hidden]

How much do you take pls?

[Hidden in reply to munchybunch]

I take a tablespoon of the raw powder as an adjunct to my Rytary. I just got started on the Rytary which is Carbidopa levodopa. However it is extended release. So the effect is not immediate and I have a low constant tremor throughout. One tablespoon of the raw powder mixed with warm water and swallowed like a shot works wonders in 15 minutes. To me that is amazing. PLu's I don't get the dystonic dyskinesia that I used to get from the generic Sinemet.

I guess I could use the powder by itself but I like the extended release of Rytary. I think of the raw powder as a rescue medication.

[Kecher in reply to Hidden]

What are the amazing results? Please describe. Also what is the regimen? Please be specific. Thank you for sharing.

[Hidden in reply to Kecher]

I just replied above. I don't have any regimen because I use it as a supplement. However one can use the powder just like the double blind study by taking 30 grams for each dose and tailor it to individual need.

[PEB69]

Hi, yes my husband sometimes uses 1x capsule of 40% Barlowes and 1/8tsp Nutrivita together, this works well. Most days he takes 2x Barlowes capsules morning and afternoon for his l dopa needs. I too feel that the whole bean instead of the pure powder gives you more benefits as there are many components of the mucuna bean besides just the l dopa content. Overall he prefers the Barlowes.

[BUZZ1397 in reply to PEB69]

I did your husband’s routine at bedtime and again at 6:30 in the morning when it wore off. I had a good result I mean I slept 3 1/2 more hours. Now I’m having my coffee and vitamins and a little breakfast and I feel my age but so much less hindered by muscle stiffness. I hope this good feeling is not just because of the extra sleep I will continue that routine regardless. Thank you for your advice. I’ve never heard of Barlow’s by the way but I will research it and perhaps try in place of the now capsule

[PEB69 in reply to BUZZ1397]

We have tried some of the 15% brands earlier on, to be honest I don't the think they did much. The Barlowes is 40%, has no fillers at all which is a bonus, we buy the capsules and the bag of 40% powder (a capsule is approx 1/4tsp), he uses the capsules when away from home for convenience and the powder the rest of the time (cost saving). He doses an hour before breakfast and two hours after lunch, he's never had it at bedtime. Before bed he takes a product with 5htp,magnesium, passionflower,zizyphus,tart cherry (NZ brand 'Go Healthy',,,Go Magnesium Sleep), if he doesn't take this has night terrors, sleep talks, or kicks outs etc, hence I love that he takes this!

[mblongdon in reply to PEB69]

Looks like the Go Magnesium Sleep would be a good product but it's a New Zealand product. Anybody know of something comparable in the states?

[karolmilk in reply to mblongdon]

I take 1 tsp. of Natural Vitality, CALM, before bedtime. It contains 350 mg. of magnesium in 2 tsp.

[BUZZ1397 in reply to PEB69]

😂

[munchybunch in reply to PEB69]

I d love my husband to try this. He gets no help from Madopar. How do you know how much to take though?

[PEB69 in reply to munchybunch]

Hi, it's really trial an error, take a small dose and evaluate results then go up or down depending on how you felt, e.g husband first dosed using 1x capsule of the mucuna I mentioned above, felt OK, trialled two capsules per dose and felt very good benefit so that's what he goes with. Buy a good brand, start out low, don't suddenly swap out prescribed meds but work the mucuna into the regime and don't take the meds with the mucuna as you'd be doubling up on l dopa. Read up on everything and make own decisions,

[akgirlsrock]

Are you talking about mucuna pruins natural source of dopamine. I tried it in the beginning and It really didn't help, I was trying to follow dr Marty Hinz protocol. My legs were getting stiff and tremors. I read mucuna doesn't cross the blood brain barrier.

[BUZZ1397 in reply to akgirlsrock]

One size does not fit everybody. Levodopa requires A little help to cross the brain barrier. Carbidopa suffices in the compound C/L. Many people that benefit from natural levodopa utilize EGCG a green tea derived substance. Have you tried that?

[Hidden in reply to akgirlsrock]

Mucuna contains levodopa. It is almost identical to Sinemet. However, what you might have read is that it doesn't contain carbidopa ( one of the active ingredients of Sinemet) which allows more of the levodopa to cross.

[PEB69]

Hi, the product my husband uses works, so it crosses the BBB, he has tried drinking green tea, hates it, has used the green tea extract, possibly and I mean possibly the effect of the mucuna lasted longer. Also the green tea extract can cause liver issues in some, and he's had elevated liver enzymes all his adult life so we dont want to causes anything liver wise , also during the last year while we've gone high fat/low carb (started out hard out keto) his liver enzymes are now normal. I've read a few articles on mucuna, it's has so many other beneficial components, some of which help it get to the brain, and it's been used for at least 100's of years in Ayurvedic medicine and they certainly didn't have carbidopa.

[BUZZ1397 in reply to PEB69]

Oh don’t be concerned about my liver health because the dosages of EGCG that I am using are small 35mg. Contributor Silvestro made me aware of the liver damage potential. I feel blessed thank you very much Silvestrov

[Despe in reply to PEB69]

Hello PEB!

Let me add that as Wriga researched and suggested grapefruit juice extends the life of levodopa. I have also read that taking mucuna with lemon water is as effective as carbidopa. My husband drinks both and seem to work pretty good.

[BUZZ1397]

Thank you for the good news. Perhaps I will switch to Barlow‘s when I say that I am getting close to running out of my supply of now. I see that Barlow’s is quite expensive but when it comes to my quality of life expenses not enough I am overly concerned with.

[akgirlsrock]

2012-2016 I tried different mucuna products Nutra Gold green tea, L-tyrosine, 5htp. I got to the point I couldn't handle the Tremors, tightness in limbs and I seemed to be on edge., I think I was taking up to 3-5 mucuna pills a day. I was making a protein shake with fruit in the morning, for the glutathione benefits. Now that I think about the protein, that probably canceled out the Levadopa in the mucuna. I might try Barlow's and add it in when needed. I get Dystonia when I run out of dopamine sinemet, I guess I don't have enough of my own dopamine anymore. I would be afraid to try and stop taking cardopa/levadopa pills, which I wouldn't and if I did I know to take it slowly. I take half a muscle relaxer 3x a day, Anxiety pills half a pill at night and Entacopone for Dyskinesia. Dr. Just gave me another med Rasagiline helps my dopamine last longer, increasing serotonin and other neurotransmitters epinephrine. I haven't tried it yet, you can't eat certain foods with it. This is my worst nightmare taking all these drugs. I've always tried to eat organic and I was very active. That's why I tried the Natural way in the beginning.

Any advise to help with Dystonia, I take Magnesium, b12, C and mag oil on calfs and feet when Dystonia hits me usually in the morning when my ER 50/200 levadopa runs out. I was taking organic liver pills for my B vitamins, but I read that iron and of course the protein interferes with the uptake of cardopa/levadopa. interfered with meds. I stopped eating chicken, I don't think my body digested it well, my right leg would give out in the morning, not Dystonia, until my morning meds would kick in. I will be getting more hcl thiamine, it did help with constipation in the beginning, I'm gonna up my dose. I was taking 4-500mg in the morning and at night, I was using Hilda Clark's from Amazon pure nothing added and tested for contaminants in pill form, and will be looking for a natural B complete since cardopa depletes B6.

Does everyone with PD get Dystonia? This is a new symptom for about 2 months now. Also is their away to test how much dopamine your brain is still making. I'm trying to watch my iron intake, I read an article about how to much iron in the brain could possibly be the cause for PD, since my symptoms started 2 months after my menstrual cycle stopped. One more thing, anyone have any results from the Ancestral diet? Someone posted an article about that on healthunlocked. Thanks for all your advice. Maria

[Juliegrace in reply to akgirlsrock]

Taking thiamine at night is generally not recommended as it can cause agitation. I believe that those who take it orally take the first dose in the morning and the second dose before 2pm.

[BUZZ1397 in reply to akgirlsrock]

I’m sorry I have no advice about treating dystonia. My condition is of course progressing but I have not experienced dystonia. I’m sure it will eventually happen. I pray for your doctor and for you to see Improvements.

[akgirlsrock]

Thank you, I always say a prayer every night for a cure for all of us, I'm hoping they'll figure out what the cause is, to many people are getting this disease and young adults as well.

[BUZZ1397]

Well I suppose I can say I have transition successfully with some adjustments to prevent my falling asleep during the day. No one prepared me that using 100% would make you need a nap. I am now using one 40% Cap and little less than 1/8 teaspoon 100% During the day. I continue to use fish oil a little vitamin C and a small dose of a EGCG to supplement every time. I’m getting 4 to 6 hours Depending on how well I watch my diet. Before starting the 100% I was using as many as four caps of 40% I’m getting maybe four hours. Now if I take two capsules with an eighth teaspoon of hundred percent I fall asleep so that’s too much. I have another concern that I discovered am I a little bit surprised by. The hundred percent powder if spilled onto a stainless steal sink surface will stain the stainless steal an awful black color. The same can happen to flatware if not rinsed off completely after stirring. I could except this is simply a housekeeping issue but I can’t not think the possibility that my teeth maye become discolored in the future which would be horrible comments anyone with experience in this matter ?