We all know how effective Mucuna Pruriens (MP) is in treating the symptoms of Parkinson’s versus the side effects of Sinemet. However, I am yet to meet a Movement Disorders Specialist (MDS) doctor who will approve of the supplement.
This is an attempt to find out if anybody here in this forum has been successful in getting MDS buy in.
Please share.
I am glad to say I have found this kind of MDS at Vanderbilt. He is very receptive and knowledgeable of MP. He prescribed Lodosyn and Carbidopa to aid MP cross the BBB. He had no problem with my husband using MP vs Sinemet. I also asked him if he would prescribe Azilect and he gladly did, but his prescription was for 1/2 a pill. His mentality is "Less (meds) is more" He is a young, very sharp MDS and "out of the box" kind of guy!
Lucky you and your husband!
How did you find this doctor? I really want to try MP. I've bought some but twice when I took just a little bit it made me throw up. I feel too ignorant to experiment on myself with it and would love to find a knowledgeable guide!
Just luck! When I made the appointment (a year ago), I didn't even know the name of the doctor until I received a reminder in April of the upcoming appointment in May. He was just receptive of natural L-dopa therapy but he didn't give me specific instructions on the protocol. We told him that we have been trialing MP at different strengths. He only wanted to make sure that MP would provide maximum benefit by adding carbidopa.
How long have you been diagnosed? Are you on any pharmaceuticals now? If you type on the box (upper right corner) "Search HealthUnlocked" MP, you will find an abundance of information on MP.
I was diagnosed 2 years ago. i started taking sinemet last november. I know I can experiment with MP but I like the idea of the doc support - like adding carbidopa to make it get through. Though I know there are available non- prescription things to do the same thing. Thanks for your response.
Who is your doctor at Vanderbilt, if you don't mind me asking? I see a NP at Vanderbilt and she is very traditional in her approach. Sinemet being the answer to every issue.
His name is Dr. David Alan Isaacs. He is a MDS, young and very sharp!
Thanks for the info!
These “young ones “ are truly amazing. I also have a young and very sharp MDS...just that he doesn’t encourage MP. Honestly, I plan to just go ahead and take it without informing him. After all, even as he acknowledged, “it is also just Levodopa”. :). It would indeed be more helpful if he “bought in” to the supplement.
The only fear that I normally have when taking supplements is : what happens if something goes wrong? If I land up in the hospital, how would they triage and treat me if they don’t have all the information and how would I communicate to them about all the medications I am taking. MP is unique in that it is a “no brainer” in that it is pharmaceutically the same as Levodopa.
That is why I won’t touch HDT (high dose thiamine) with a barge pole.
Don’t know what you are opposed to with HDT. It has really helped me. My neurologist is on board with me taking it. My MDS released me from his care because I’m doing so well on it. He was a distance from me so he wants me to continue with seeing my neurologist. It is nontoxic. It is also water soluble. Any excess your body doesn’t use is eliminated in your urine.
As for MP I would start it, but let your doctor know you are taking it. Don’t keep anything like this from your doctor. He can’t stop you. When he sees improvement he may get onboard.
Use videos of you before and after you have been taking it for a month or so. This may convince him. I showed my MDS before and after videos and he saw my current situation. This convinced him. He was very surprised. My neurologist has seen my videos also.
Give MP a try. I don’t think it can hurt as it is a plant.
Good luck
Thanks, mannp. I already tried HDT. Unfortunately, I got high BP. I went to my primary care doctor and they had difficulty figuring out how that happened. I already have high BP that is well controlled by medication. The sudden surge in my BP caused consternation and they tried to figure out why. It took about 10 days for both of us to figure out that it was HDT. I stopped taking it after that. The BP issue resolved in a couple of days.
As for MP, I totally understand and agree. I tried it too and had great results. I even showed it to my MDS and he was not on board because he says that it is hard to keep a consistent dosage due to the peculiarities of the product. His response was to increase my dosage of Rytary! He did acknowledge that MP is still Levodopa.
Thanks for your kind message and support.
My very mainstream neurologist is super supportive of MP. He recommends I take 500 mg of active l-dopa a day. When you look at the supplements it says things like 40% l-dopa.
My primary care physician who is an age management specialist Perscribed this treatment. Why are you waiting for the doctor? This is not a prescription medication and the protocol is available on the Internet. if you wait for the neurologist to approve homeopathic treatments or alternatives to levodopa You’re really limit your options
Please know that not all mucuna is created equal! I am very blessed that my neurologist works with my naturopathic doctor in prescribing my meds and supplements. My first bottle was only 14% mucuna, and I have worked my way up to 67%, while decreasing my requip. I take green tea capsules with it to aid in the mucuna crossing the BBB. (The one I use contains 94% EGCG.)
a CAUTION about green tea extract: Everyone should be aware that with supplements of EGCG (but likely not with tea that you drink) there is a danger of getting such high doses that your liver may be damaged. The maximum safe dose is not known but currently it is thought to be less than 800 mg/day. To give you some idea how easy it is to exceed this limit, that's just 2 capsules (400 mg each) of NOW brand EGCG! Here's what the European Food Safety Authority has announced:
"EFSA has assessed the safety of green tea catechins from dietary sources, following concerns regarding their possible harmful effects on the liver. EFSA concluded that catechins from green tea infusions and similar drinks are generally safe. When taken as food supplements, however, catechin doses at or above 800 mg/day may pose health concerns."
Source: efsa.europa.eu/en/press/new...
May I ask your MP brand name? Thank you.
Where do you live?
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