What is the effect of food in response to... - Cure Parkinson's
What is the effect of food in response to medication? I get no effect if taken with food of any kind. Must be taken on empty stomach.
Protien is asorbed into the system first, it can block the effect of sinmet or cause it to pass through the protien slower to get into the bloodstream. Fruit and any acid like foods (tomatoes, oranges, etc) will cause it to break down the effectiveness. Dairy products, cheese, milk, etc, will sour the stomach when mixed with sinmet. This infomation was given to me by my doctor at Rush University Hospital. Some of it has been by experience.
On the plus side - cola, has helped to to act faster as does caffine and sugar. Wine has been proven to do the same. (Young On-set conf in Cincinnati this last Nov had speakers that also confirmed this.) Carbs seem to be okay.
I take sinmet in the morning with a cup of Earl Gray and a glazed donut. After that I may have a full breakfast with meat. (if no donut arount a sugar cookie helps.) Just my own experience.
This is the advice from the Parkinson's UK website.
Parkinson’s medication and your diet
When should I take my Parkinson’s medications?
When you take your Parkinson’s medication should always be discussed with your GP, specialist or Parkinson’s nurse. You can also ask if it’s possible to be referred to a registered dietician. Sipping a cold drink, such as water, squash or juice, may help with swallowing tablets. However, you should not take your Parkinson’s medication with milk (see below).
How can protein affect my medication?
In some people, protein (which is found mainly in meat, fish, eggs, cheese, yoghurt, milk, nuts, beans and pulses) may interfere with the effects of their levodopa medication. If this affects you, you may benefit from taking your levodopa 30 minutes before meals (ideally with a carbohydrate food like a cracker or biscuit).
There has been research where people reduced the amount of daytime protein they ate, and in some cases it improved their response to levodopa.
A protein redistribution diet, where most of your protein is eaten in the evening, may be worth considering if you are having difficulties.6 However, do not stop eating protein altogether as it is vital to help your body to renew itself and fight infection. Reducing protein may cause dangerous weight loss.
If you do wish to review the timing of your protein intake, discuss this with your GP, specialist or Parkinson’s nurse, or ask to see a registered dietitian.
Can I take indigestion tablets?
Antacids, which are used to relieve heartburn or indigestion, should not be taken at the same time as other drugs. They may have an effect on the absorption of your Parkinson’s medication
Vitamins, food supplements and special diets
Eating a well-balanced diet will give you a good amount of vitamins and minerals. So, if you feel you need more of a particular vitamin or mineral, it is advisable to try to eat more of the foods containing it, rather than to buy expensive vitamin and mineral supplements.
You also need to be aware that some vitamins, when taken in large doses, can have side effects.8 If you are taking supplements with high doses of vitamins and minerals, or need further advice on this matter generally, you should speak to a registered dietitian or your GP, specialist or Parkinson’s nurse.
Vitamin D
Osteoporosis is a condition that affects the bones, causing them to become weak and fragile and more likely to break. It is often diagnosed in people with Parkinson’s. A link has been found between the severity of Parkinson’s symptoms and bone density. Some experts suggest that people with Parkinson’s should be taking calcium and vitamin D daily, especially those who are bed/house-bound or immobile.9
Your levels of calcium and vitamin D should be assessed early in the condition to prevent or lower the risk of osteoporosis.9, 10, 11 Speak to your health professional if you think you may need to take vitamin D.
Antioxidants
Antioxidants are chemicals produced by your body or taken from your diet that work to stop the damaging effects of free radicals.
Free radicals are damaging molecules that can be produced by normal chemical reactions in your body or absorbed from outside sources (such as cigarette smoke, pollution, or spending too long in the sun). Free radicals only last in your body for a very short time, but can do damage to your cells during that time.
Antioxidants keep cell damage under control trapping and neutralising free radicals.
An initial pilot study suggested that the antioxidant alpha-tocopherol, or vitamin E, may delay the progression of Parkinson’s, but a later more detailed study involving a much greater number of patients failed to confirm this. Studies are still being run, but at the moment there are no findings to support taking extra vitamin E.
Currently, there is no evidence that antioxidants will slow the progression of Parkinson’s or improve symptoms. Providing you are eating a well-balanced diet, your antioxidant vitamin intake will be covered.
Taking excessive amounts of antioxidant supplements can have a negative effect on your health and wellbeing, and may interfere with your Parkinson’s medication. You should speak to your GP, specialist, Parkinson’s nurse or dietitian before taking any supplement.
Co-enzyme Q10.
Co-enzyme Q10 is naturally present in very small amounts in a wide range of foods, such as offal, beef, soya oil or oily fish, and has strong antioxidant properties. There have been a number of research studies where people with Parkinson’s have taken large doses of this supplement, but these have shown there is no evidence to recommend co-enzyme Q10 as a treatment for Parkinson’s.14 If you wish to take additional co-enzyme Q10, talk to your health professional first.
Other mineral and vitamin supplements
Before purchasing any ‘over the counter’ mineral and vitamin supplements from chemists or health food shops, consult your GP, specialist, Parkinson’s nurse or registered dietician for advice.
Do I need to take food supplements?
If you are a healthy weight for your height then food supplements may not be needed. However, if you are underweight or are not managing to eat enough food, for example due to nausea, loss of appetite, taste changes or increased movement, then food supplements may be useful.
There is a wide range of nutritional support products, such as drinks, powders and desserts, available. These should be introduced by a registered dietitian or prescribed by your GP.
Special diets
We are aware that some websites and other sources give dietary advice, but we cannot advise or recommend that people with Parkinson’s follow this advice without reliable medical evidence that it works. It is important for anyone who is considering trying any special diet to discuss this first with a health professional.
Hope this helps.
Hello, i find your post very, very interesting. I was diagnosed with PD at the end of October and am due to see specialist about starting my medication on January 15th. I have several medical issues which i am afraid will complicate how and when i will be able to take my PD medication. Because of having an oesophagectomy and having most of my gullet removed, my stomach made into a tube and put into my chest i have to take Creon 40000 3 times a day for my body to absorb any protein from anything that i eat. But here's the crunch, because of my surgery i cannot eat (2very small snacks) enough for me to survive so i have a jejunostomy feeding tube which i have to use every night for 12 hours so that i get the vital nutrients that help me keep my weight steady. How can i take my PD medication with all this going on? I am afraid of the complications involved in trying to manage my protein intake and when to take any medication for my Parkinson's. I am very anxious about starting the medication for PD what with everything else going on in my body medically.n I shall bring this all up with the specialist on the 15th but i am afraid that i will forget to tell him everything and that i would be afraid of being prescribed the wrong medication for my tremor and insomnia. You see i also have to take a sleeping tablet to help me get any sleep at all, without it i can go for up to a week with only an hours sleep in that time. Sorry for the rant.
Hi Christine, my heart goes out too you GOD BLESS YOU and i thought i had problems.I would expect your DOCTOR WOULD ACCOUNT FOR YOUR SITUATION for tablet taking,if you are full of questions to ask the Doctors get a small notebook and write down all the things you want to know thats what i do and it makes life just a bit easier not having to try and remember all the time i pray all goes well with you and welcome to the fold,and dont worry about the rant we all do it
Well i saw the neurologist last Tuesday despite the snow and i was prescribed some medication that would not work against the medication that i take for my other problems. I can't remember what it is but i remember him saying that i would have to take it once a day and that it would be slow releasing. It is a tablet not often prescribed he said and that it would be very, very important for me to read the leaflet that comes with the tablet in full! A low dose to start with as this medcation would make me very nauseaus and constipated. Well i can cope with the constipation and adjust my othe medication to deal with that and i can take extra medication (Domperidone) for the nausea so we will see when i see my GP next week for my first prescription after the paperwork from the neurologist has arrived in my GP's surgery.n The neurologist told me before i left that he would see me in a couple of months to see how i am dealing with the medication in case it needs adjustment and to see how i am coping.
Thank you for the info.
For several years whenever I had bacon and eggs for breakfast it would affect the next levodopa which would have limited effectiveness . I generally cut these out of my diet but sometimes I would weaken and have a bacon and egg McMuffin while travelling. I would always pay dearly for the few minutes of pleasure.
Since taking azilect I do not have the same problem and the absorption of levodopa seems unhindered by protein
I really miss eggs.
I have wait a half hour before and after with Sinement,Otherwise the Meds get absorbed like I did'nt take any meds.It's getting very hard to deal with at times,Because I take Sinement every two hours,Panning when going out to dinner,Parties and dinnertime,If Im in the Half Hour window,I skip a meal,somedays having a crazy day and missing two meals,The Sinement becomes too much,Being there's nothing to absorb some of the copa/levodopa,causing me to be very jumpy.Well that the way it is for me.Miraplex has made it a little easier,Helping the bridging of the Sinement.Dbs is on the table for me,The Doctor is amazed by my responce to sinement,He as seen me on it and off of it and is amazed by the transformation.Don't know if should go for the DBS.
