Gut Bacteria in PD: Not All Lactic Acid Bacteria Are the Same

[Esperanto]

The composition of the gut flora (intestinal microbiome) is different in PD compared to healthy individuals. Lactobacillaceae is a bacterial family that is present in larger amounts in the intestines of people with PD. Interestingly, researchers have described opposite effects for Lactobacillaceae in PD. On one hand, some scientific studies have found that these gut bacteria are connected to worse movement problems and with the early breakdown of the PD medicine levodopa. On the other hand, there are studies that found that treating people with PD with probiotics containing Lactobacillaceae improved their movement and lessened their stomach and gut problems. For this article, we reviewed the various studies on this subject. We found that the effect seems to depend on the particular species of bacterium, within the wider Lactobacillaceae family. The species L. plantarum shows favorable properties in PD: fewer problems with movement and less inflammation of the bowels. The species L. brevis, L. curvatus, and L. fermentum, on the other hand, have properties that might be negative for people with PD.

February 3, 2025, Radboud UMC, The Netherlands

journals.sagepub.com/doi/10...

doi.org/10.1177/1877718X241...

According to Parkibot, the following foods predominantly contain the beneficial L. plantarum: Kimchi, Sauerkraut, Natural Yogurts, Kefir, Kombucha, Miso, and Tempeh.

[EmsXen33]

That link gives me an error message and a quick search didn't lead me to the study. Is there another link maybe?

[Esperanto in reply to EmsXen33]

journals.sagepub.com/doi/10...

doi.org/10.1177/1877718X241...

[EmsXen33 in reply to Esperanto]

I tried that link and got the same error message - "Error! The requested article is not currently available on this site." But then I removed the period from the end of the link URL and that worked - thanks!

[Esperanto]

To adjust your diet according to the better and worse types of Lactobacillaceae for PD is not easy. Some foods contain both types. However, it might be wise to limit portion sizes in such cases. The following table provides a good overview to assist you in making choices.

sciencedirect.com/topics/ph...

FERMENTED FOODS | Fermented Vegetable Products; R. Di Cagno, R. Coda, in Encyclopedia of Food Microbiology (Second Edition), 2014:

Table 1. Lactic acid bacteria isolated from raw or spontaneously fermented vegetables and fruits

Lactobacillus plantarum > Tomatoes, marrows, carrots, cucumbers, eggplants, sauerkraut, red beets, capers, kimchi, pineapple, plums, kiwi, papaya, fennels, cherries, cabbages, grape must

Lactobacillus pentosus > Capers, papaya, eggplants, cucumbers

Lactobacillus rossiae > Pineapple

Lactobacillus fermentum > French beans, red beets, capers, eggplants

Lactobacillus curvatus > Peppers, sauerkraut, kimchi

Lactobacillus sakei > Kimchi

Lactobacillus brevis > Tomatoes, sauerkraut, capers, eggplants, cabbages, cucumbers, grape must

Lactobacillus paraplantarum > Cider, cabbages, capers

Lactobacillus collinoides > Cider

Lactobacillus casei > Cider

Leuconostoc mesenteroidessubsp. mesenteroides > White cabbages, carrots, peppers, cucumbers, eggplants, lettuce, sauerkraut, kimchi, cherries, grape must

Weissella soli > Carrots

Weissella confusa, Weissella cibaria > Peppers, tomatoes, blackberries, papaya

Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus > French beans, tomatoes, capers

Oenococcus oeni > Cider, grape must

Pediococcus pentosaceus > French beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, sauerkraut, capers, cherries, cabbages

Pediococcus parvulus > Cider

Adapted from Ciafardini, Di Cagno, 2012. Olive da mensa ed altri prodotti vegetali. In: Farris, A., Gobbetti, M., Neviani, E., and Vincenzini, M. (Eds.), Microbiologia dei prodotti alimentari, CEA – Casa Editrice Ambrosiana, Milan, Italy, pp. 365–382, ISBN: 978-8808-18246-3.

[MarkPrana in reply to Esperanto]

Really interesting Esperanto , I eat a lot of sauerkraut, as well as tomatoes and peppers (all of which may promote the less healthy variants...).

I'm very close to selecting a gut microbiome test as the next step in my Parkinson's adventure, will be interesting to see what is actually happening down there 🙂

[JayPwP]

I am taking this currently

Probiotic

[JayPwP]

And plan to add this

Probiotic 2

[Esperanto in reply to JayPwP]

I'm very curious about how you're going to remove L. brevis and L. fermentum from your probiotics... 😉

[JayPwP in reply to Esperanto]

Well I am not 😜

I am hoping that the others will keep them in check...

[JayPwP in reply to JayPwP]

Just took a capsule of probiotic 2...

Plan to take for a week then alternate between 1 & 2 daily

What is your suggestion?

[Esperanto in reply to JayPwP]

While different types of Lactobacillus can sometimes work synergistically, this research indicates that this is not always the case. The combination of these bacteria can significantly impact the composition of the gut microbiome and overall health. This raises important considerations when choosing probiotics—specifically, your probiotic 1 where the beneficial L. plantarum is present alongside the less favorable L. fermentum, versus your probiotic 2 where L. plantarum is completely absent. Further research is needed to fully understand these dynamics, and for now, the best insights may come from your personal experience and usage.

[JayPwP in reply to Esperanto]

The probiotic 2 was purchased in response to this

healthunlocked.com/cure-par...