Mucuna vs C/L-dopa

[Schofield81]

Anyone using mucuna pruriens instead of or as an adjunctive supplement to C/L-dopa?

Do you split up your doses of mucuna throughout the day the same as with C/L-dopa?

[CaseyInsights]

Not too sure where you are going with this, but this is how my spouse dosing setup is structured:

Morning: C/L 1.5 tablet (25/100)

Lunch: C/L 1.5 tablet (25/100)

Evening: DopaBoost capsule (Mucuna/L-dopa)

To close, tying yourself in knots as to which is best is quite pointless. The dosing with the pharmaceutical (C/L) has the benefit of delivering a reliable amount of levodopa. This cannot be said for most Mucuna products.

So unless you have good reason to venture off the conventional path, you maybe well advised to stay the course. 🌺

[slimweiss in reply to CaseyInsights]

My HWP takes Rytary 4 times a day two doses (245 mg and 95mg). Every 4 -5 hours. Typically that last hour before his next dose he can feel that it is wearing off and since Rytary is time release it can take an hour to feel the results. He bridges the gap with 1 mucuna capsule. His neurologist said he’s wasting his money on the mucuna because it doesn’t pass the BBB. Well he feels better when he takes it so we aren’t going to stop! Placebo or not! Sometimes he doesn’t need it. At night he takes C/L either a half or whole to get him through the night when he wakes up and is off.

[CaseyInsights in reply to slimweiss]

“His neurologist said he’s wasting his money on the mucuna because it doesn’t pass the BBB.”

Hopefully his neurologist did not say this as it is wrong: mucuna has levodopa and this gets pass the blood brain barrier (BBB).

The issue with mucuna is

(1) the varying percentage of levodopa it may contain, therefore a problem with consistent dosing

(2) You need a substance like carbidopa which prevents the breakdown of levodopa in the bloodstream so more levodopa can enter the brain. Mucuna users turn to green tea as a natural alternative to carbidopa.

So keep on using your mucuna, as it surely works. And you may find it even more effective with a cup of green tea. 🌺

[slimweiss in reply to CaseyInsights]

Thank you! Yes we will definitely add the green tea.