Iron supplements

[Discogs_discogs]

Has anyone heard whether iron supplements are advisable or not for people with Parkinson's disease? As you know, there is a connection between iron and the disease, but I do not know how iron supplementation plays into that equation.

webmd.com/parkinsons-diseas...

[Bolt_Upright]

I would stay far away from iron supplements. Don't even make eye contact with them.

Although I guess I should also stay away from iron rich red meat.

[Discogs_discogs in reply to Bolt_Upright]

I have low iron on my blood tests each time....... Or is it ferritin? I confuse those two, but my GI gastrointestinal doctor suggested taking iron supplements.

[Bolt_Upright in reply to Discogs_discogs]

Well they may be a doctor, but I have a high school degree

I would trust the doctor, maybe, but you might want to ask your neurologist too.

Good luck.

[alexask in reply to Discogs_discogs]

My sister in law had very low iron. Eventually put it down to Omeprazole (acid suppressant). She stopped that and used orange peel extract instead for reflux.

[Bolt_Upright in reply to alexask]

As a non-doctor HS graduate I can tell you that acid suppressants are bad news. Much better to make lifestyle changes. Cut out alcohol, soft drinks, and process foods. And sugar.

They tried to put me on that about 10 years ago.

Good luck.

[Bolt_Upright in reply to Bolt_Upright]

Taking omeprazole for more than a year may increase your chances of certain side effects, including:

bone fractures.

gut infections.

vitamin B12 deficiency – symptoms include feeling very tired, a sore and red tongue, mouth ulcers and pins and needles.

[kaypeeoh in reply to Bolt_Upright]

Jeez, I read several pages of abstracts detailing side effects and didn't find any mention of fractures. But it's logical that anything suppressing acid could also suppress absorption of calcium, B12 and other important factors.

So once in a while forgo the omeprazole and take a Tums instead.

[Bolt_Upright]

I think one common feature of PD is the accumulation of iron in the brain. I was hoping zeolite was removing iron but then I thought it might be inflammatory. I have not pitched it though.

[LAJ12345]

I think Laurie Miscley has iron on her list of supplements that make PD progression worse.

[Discogs_discogs in reply to LAJ12345]

I found it! Dr. Laurie Mischley says to avoid iron supplements, red meat and milk to deter Parkinson's progression:

hindawi.com/journals/omcl/2...

[ddmagee1]

I have been diagnosed with anaemia, for a few years now and the Doc has me on ferritin. I also have been diagnosed with PD for a number of years, so, I just do what the Doc recommended.

[Discogs_discogs]

.... Right. I seem to recall having read somewhere that people with PD tend to have low blood iron or low ferritin. It therefore seems counterintuitive that people with PD have excess iron deposits in a certain region of the brain....... In any case, Dr. Mischley says that taking iron supplements accelerates PD progression, do what to do??? GI gastro doctors just tell everyone to take iron supplements if their blood tests show low ferritin, so......