Mucuna Pruriens

[mk2002wi]

I would like to substitute mucuna pruriens for the Carbidopa levodopa. I have 500 mg capsules standardized to 20% L-dopa (not exactly sure what that means). How much levodopa is that?

My C/L Rx is 10-100 mg, 4 times daily.

How many 500mg mucuna capsules do I take as an equivalent?

(my neurologist didn't even know what mucuna pruriens was)

Thanks.

[Gymsack]

Why

[mk2002wi in reply to Gymsack]

Why? I don't care for the dyskinesia C/L causes.

[Cagey84 in reply to mk2002wi]

You'll get just as much dyskinesia with MP. Levodopa is levodopa whatever the source. At least with C/L you know how much you get.

[Dabaa]

MIne neither, but whilst I empathise, the fault is with our own unrealistic expectation. Their focus is disease management via pharma and surgery, NOT health creation via understanding root causes and improving nutrition, exercise and lifestyle. When they encounter someone interested in emerging studies/treatment approaches their only ego defense is to gaslight and pooh-pooh - unless you're exceptionally fortunate. (I'm also trying to dose Mucuna and have been off C/L for almost ten months. When I re-tried C/L, all my symptoms worsened rather than improved.) Thanks for posting this.

[Psalmody in reply to Dabaa]

I changed to Mucana last July. I still have 1/4 CL x 4 as well. Much better not such bad off times

[docjleonard55]

500 mg x 20% = 100 mg

[LAJ12345 in reply to docjleonard55]

But not as much will be assimilated without the carbidopa (sinemet) or benserazide (madopar) so you might need more.

If you are going to try this I would swap first onto madopar or sinemet tablets if you’re taking capsules, then slowly substitute with the mp over days to see what effect there is and if you are feeling better or worse. Cut up the tablets and reduce by 1/4 at a time taking the mp at the same time. You can also buy empty gel caps to halve the mp dose.

Do any experimenting slowly giving each change a few days at least before you judge the effectiveness. I would start with the last dose of the day.

you might find it’s best to take a bit of each rather than making a full swap. If you reach a point that is feeling good don’t feel you have to keep changing the dose to get rid of the drug. Just stay on that combo if it works.

[mk2002wi in reply to LAJ12345]

I've read that green tea extract may act similar to Carbidopa.

[LAJ12345 in reply to mk2002wi]

Yes, I did too. Not sure if it is as strong though?

[mk2002wi in reply to docjleonard55]

So, the 500mg mucuna is equivalent to the 100 mg levodopa pill?

[LAJ12345 in reply to mk2002wi]

In quantity of levodopa, but likely not as effective without the carbidopa or benserazide.

I suspect the effectiveness might depend on how fast you break it down in your gut and how much gets through to your brain so might not be the same for every individual. That’s why I think a gradual swapping over weeks or months might be the best approach. It’s dangerous to just stop the meds suddenly.

[cmullian]

I take Mucuna (one 500 mg tablet) on an empty stomach first thing after getting up and at least one hour before breakfast so as to have more reach the brain and not get diluted by the digestive process.