Has anyone been able to find a good source of information to understand proper dosing of mucuna pruriens supplements when taking 25-100 g of carbidopa/levidopa x 3/day?
The main issue is "off" time or "freezing"
Specialist wont consider any supplements, so we are left to research on our own
Truly appreciate proper guidance
this is a facebook for mucuna- maybe you could ask on there- I kind of know how to do it but it is a little hard to explain facebook.com/groups/3288385...
Check out the FB group Mucuna Pruriens, it is full of practical information.
I had to experiment on my own. Everyone’s body is different . I currently take 1/16 tsp mucuna with 1/4 tab CL every 2.5-3 hrs. I used to take 4tab of 25/100 CL per day 4yrs ago.
the problem isn't just dose, it's the fact that most supplements don't contain the amount of L-dopa they claim as there is no regulatory requirement. this is perhaps one of the main reasons doctors are hesitant as they have no way of knowing what you're really getting. see my previous post: healthunlocked.com/cure-par...
The FB group is very helpful(make sure that you read the Files - Calculations pdf). I use 99% levodopa mucuna pruriens powder from NutriVita(USA). Using micro measuring teaspoons start low and slow. I don’t use C/L, so I need 4x more than someone still using Sinemet or Madopar. I add 500 mg soluble vitamin C powder(AA)to help it cross the BBB. Some folks like to use green tea or lemon juice instead. I mix it all in a glass of water and chug. Minimal taste. You want to slowly titrate up over a couple of weeks, and when you get symptom relief that is your sweet spot. I started with 1/16 tsp and now take 1/4 tsp 3 - 4 x a day. I recommend adding B vitamins and magnesium too.
Also since you are taking C/L , you may just want to substitute one or more of your dosages. The pdf on calculations in the fb group can help you with that.
Thank you for directing me to the fb group
Looking at the “Calculation” PDF in the files, would you know how to figure out what the weight of the levodopa is in the Calculation formula means? Shouldn’t it be grams?
Also I read one of the files talks about a supplement named HP-200/Zandopa®. Would you or anyone here had any good experience with that supplement? Has anyone tried the brand Solaray?
I agree with everything barrie1757 has written here about finding the dosage that works for you. My late husband and I experimented with doses of powdered Mucuna about 10 years ago when the effectiveness of his Stalevo wore off. (He was diagnosed with PD in 2004.) We started with a quarter teaspoon and worked up. The effective Mucuna dose for him was one level tablespoon of the raw powder mixed in water or juice taken every three waking hours or so. For him this level of Mucuna was miraculous, getting him ‘on’ quickly and consistently without any painful side effects for all of his final 8 years. Besides being a nutritious bean , Mucuna had the added benefit of making him feel happy.
Thank you kindly everyone. I will certainly look into the FB group
I saw an ad for a Mucuna capsule standardized to 100mg L-Dopa+ 50mg P-5-P together.
I am interested in trying the product. Do you think it is worth it? Any wasrnings or tips?
You wouldn't be able to take additional carbidopa with the P5P because of interaction between them? I have read people say there's something in Mucuna that makes carbidopa not required with Mucuna. I have also read of people that take carbidopa with Mucuna. Puzzled 😕😖❓🤷♂️🤷♀️😵💫❔
Will the L-dopa in Mucuna make it to brain without carbidopa? Reference please.
"Gamine AI" says: No, L-dopa from Mucuna will not effectively reach the brain without carbidopa; Mucuna pruriens is a plant-based source of L-dopa. While it can provide a natural alternative to synthetic L-dopa, it is not as effective in treating Parkinson's disease without carbidopa. This is because the L-dopa from Mucuna is also broken down by decarboxylase before it can reach the brain.
ChatGPT AI says: So, will L-Dopa from Mucuna make it to the brain without carbidopa?
Some L-Dopa will still make it to the brain, but the amount will be significantly reduced due to peripheral conversion. Additionally, taking Mucuna without a peripheral decarboxylase inhibitor like carbidopa may result in more side effects from peripheral dopamine activity, such as nausea or gastrointestinal discomfort.
Basically same answer: Effectively vs Some (AI is not to be accepted as fact.)
Thanks. I understand the interaction between B6 and Carbidopa thanks to park_bear . That's why it is recommended to take B6 and Carbidopa 2 hours apart from each other.
It is also known that B6 is required for dopamine synthesis but binds irrevocably to Carbidopa in the gut.
Esperanto has reduced C/L completely by managing B6 deficiency.
For starters my thinking is if Mucuna and P-5-P are taken as the first dose replacing C/L then 3 hours later take normal dose C/L. Since Carbidopa is not part of the equation here, and B6 supports Dopamine production, this seems like a win-win situation. Replacing other Sinemet doses with only Mucuna at desired levels can be looked at later.
As Dr. Maldonado mentions here:
mucunaparkinson.com/propert...
"in comparison to Sinemet, it acts more rapidly (34 minutes instead of 68), produces a greater elevation of the plasma level of levodopa (110% higher), and appears to be stronger (the effectiveness of natural levodopa is double or triple that of the synthetic version)."
I am inclined to move from Sinemet to Mucuna but I am on my own as no neurologist will support this endeavour.
Thanks for the mention!
I would add that Vitamin B6 has a very long half life - many days. So there is no need to take it together with mucuna or other medication. Overview of my work on B6 here: healthunlocked.com/cure-par...
"...but binds irrevocably to Carbidopa in the gut. " I question just the gut.
I asked Gerimi AI: Is interaction of B6 and carbidopa only in gut?
No, the interaction between B6 and carbidopa is not limited to the gut.
While B6 (pyridoxine) is primarily absorbed in the small intestine, it can also be metabolized in various tissues, including the liver and brain. Carbidopa, on the other hand, is primarily absorbed in the small intestine and is metabolized in the liver.
The interaction between B6 and carbidopa occurs in the liver. B6 is a cofactor for the enzyme dopa decarboxylase, which is responsible for converting L-dopa (a precursor to dopamine) into dopamine. Carbidopa inhibits dopa decarboxylase, preventing the breakdown of L-dopa and allowing more of it to reach the brain.
healthunlocked.com/cure-par...
This is as per park_bear
That link leads back to here. Were you intending this link? healthunlocked.com/cure-par...
In that text I did focus on the action in the gut but did not intend to convey that this effect does not occur elsewhere. If taken together the entire dosages will be in close proximity in the gut leading to major mutual inactivation. The same can occur in the bloodstream but, being diluted in 5 L of blood results in much lower concentrations, and therefore less of an effect. Some vitamin B6 still does get inactivated, leading to the requirement for supplementation if taking carbodopa.
I am currently taking C/L 25/100 six tablets per day. I take a B-Complex, and Magnesium L-Threonate 2 caps at 10 AM.My first C/L dose is at 12 pm, kicks in around 12.40 and off by 2.30. The next dose is at 3 and so on.
Do you think I will benefit from B6 supplement?
I wish to move to Mucuna only for the extended on time.
That's why I was also interested in the Mucuna P-5-P combination. 1 capsule along with the B-Complex and no more requirement for B6.
I take about half your dose of C/L and I do supplement P5P, so I do believe supplementation is in order.
Thank you PB...
The minimum P-5-P I can find is 20mg from Swanson. I will order a bottle.
Attached is the B-Complex I am currently taking along with Magnesium L-Threonate. Is it ok if I take the P-5-P along with this? Or should I take it separately? What do you suggest?
I take my P5P along with other B vitamins. I see no conflict.
I mean the B-Complex contains Pyridoxal HCL. No conflicts with P-5-P, right?
Alternatively is it ok to supplement Pyridoxine, with B2 for converting Pyridoxine to P-5-P?
Sorry for hassling you.
No conflict.
No apology necessary. I do not feel hassled - it is important to get clarity on these matters.
Vitamin B6 has seven different vitamers - different molecules that can be converted into the active form. Of these it seems that only pyridoxine has the potential to be toxic. The pyridoxal noted on your supplement container is a bit different from pyridoxine. For details see here: healthunlocked.com/cure-par...
A person can get away with taking small quantities of pyridoxine, like the amount in a typical multivitamin, but at some point increased quantities become toxic. Personally I choose to avoid it and stick with P5P.
Keep an eye on your oral magnesium because it may interfere with C/L. He also recently wrote about this
johntPM
healthunlocked.com/cure-par...
and here
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/303...
Thank you Gio.
Both the links refer to Magnesium Oxide . I take Magnesium L-Threonate 2 hours before the first C/L dose
Okay but in my humble opinion there is no much difference.
biogena.com/it-it/risorse-e...
the important thing is that it is taken with the right acidity in the stomach, this also applies to C/L.
Also avoid overdoses, do these symptoms remind you of anything?
merckmanuals.com/home/hormo...
I have low BP for some time after C/L kicks in, along with shallow breathing when C/L kicks in, and when C/L is depleting, just before the down phase. Then breathing is no issue till the next C/L kicks in and out.From a Magnesium standpoint, I am only taking L-Threonate 3 caps which amount to about 36% of elemental Magnesium RDA.
I have not accounted for the accidental Magnesium ingestion through food and other supplements (example: Magnesium Stearate in supplements)
My point is just to keep an eye on magnesium. Based on my personal experience 100 mg of magnesium citrate a day is already too much so I reduced it to 20 mg taken with calcium gluconate all acidified with apple cider vinegar before bed. It relaxes the muscles and solves constipation without causing diarrhea with a good saving of € which never hurts. 
Mucuna Pruriens
mucuna pruriens
Mucuna Pruriens
Who makes best Mucuna Pruriens
Simon and Mucuna Pruriens
