Does anyone have details of success with ... - Cure Parkinson's

Cure Parkinson's

25,501 members26,817 posts

Does anyone have details of success with l-tyrosine

rlb_mo profile image
25 Replies
Written by
rlb_mo profile image
rlb_mo
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Read more about...
25 Replies
movinngroovin profile image
movinngroovin

For many people it turns into Dopamine-some of us it turns into adrenalin-it made me throw up!

soccertese profile image
soccertese

tyrosine is a precursor to dopamine. so obviously early researchers tried increasing tyrosine in the diet, i think there is 1 paper out there stating positive results. but think about it, there's probably enough tyrosine in 1 egg to supply a week's worth of dopamine because a healthy brain stores dopamine and also recycles it. if lack of tyrosine was a factor in pd, then why don't people who fast show parkinson's symptoms? why does one not "overdose" on dopamine if you eat a large steak? your brain really needs very little dopamine, think about it, one starts with may 300mg l-dopa/day and less than 10% gets into the brain. for a dopamine agonist, you might start with 3-5mg because most of it gets into your brain.

but one can try it, i think there are some potential side affects.

silvestrov profile image
silvestrov

Doctor's do not give tyrosine to Parkinson's patients because the enzyme needed to convert tyrosine to levopdopa (then dopamine) is called tyrosine hydroxylase (TH).

TH in Parkinson's patients brains is deficient by 75 to 90%. So even though you may eat protein/ take a supplement with tyrosine, the body has difficulty converting it (eventually) in to dopamine. Having stated this, the French did a 3 year dual trial with 5 people on L-dopa/sinemet and 5 people (PD patients all) on tyrosine. The tyrosine treated patients had better clinical symptoms with less side effects and higher dopamine levels. As for myself, I use this supplement and know it works for me. I figured out I had Parkinson's by taking tyrosine when I had a multitude of symptoms which included depression - I took the tyrosine for depression, and the next day all my symptoms were diminished. Now I take tyrosine in combination with the Mucuna pruriens plant, the velvet bean, which also out performed Sinement/ L-dopa in a double blind, alternating, random trial.

The bottom line is Sinemet/L-dopa is NOT a good supplement for PD patients because it is tachyphylactic (definition #2): dictionary.reference.com/br...

Within 1-2 years Sinemet stops working and 2-4 years larger and larger doses are required so severe dyskinesias occur.

One study followed a man on Mucuna pruriens for 12 years and it slowed the progression of the disease.

grey profile image
grey in reply to silvestrov

Interesting study, following a man for 12 years, showing it slowed the progression of the disease. Measured against what? There's no such thing as an average patient. And by whom? Members of the scientific profession? Mucana pruriens fanatics?

silvestrov profile image
silvestrov in reply to grey

The details were few about the MP study. I understand your cynicism in regards to MP considering standardized Parkinson's therapy is terrible and just does not work. My father has Parkinson's and when I manifested symptoms, and accidentally discovered I had it by taking tyrosine, I decided to go the alternative 'untested' route. For a drug to be tested it has to go through 4 stages of testing and a follow up. The price to do so ranges from 200 million to 1.2 billion depending on the product. What drug company is going to test a non-patent-able dietary supplement for 200 million in order to make 25 dollars a month per patient on the free market? They will never recoup their investment and this is the reason why supplements are not prescribed from your doctor. Doctors are trained in allopathic medicine and are taught to ignore anything which does not fulfill the above criteria. Americans love their war metaphors, going into battle with all guns blazing....but in reality, because of the lack of simple and powerful supplements to fight PD, like magnesium, the doctors are going into battle with water pistols. Why magnesium? Magnesium sulfate injections are given to women who have preterm labor. It protects them from preeclampsia, blood pressure shifts, and their child from the motor disorder known as cerebral palsy. I am not advocated Mg injections for PD patients but there are some great forms of Mg for PD: magnesium chloride, magnesium l. threonate - great for improving memory, magnesium glycinate.....

gurdeep11 profile image
gurdeep11 in reply to silvestrov

how do u dose mucuna puriens, i am planning to start zandopa

Balderdash profile image
Balderdash in reply to silvestrov

Although levodopa does not alter the overall rate of progression of the disease, it does appear to delay progression to the more severe disability levels, thus improving quality of life over the

course of the disease. Levodopa continues to be the most effective symptomatic therapy for

PD. The vast majority who start levodopa treatment experience good functional returns .I wouldnt have the quality of life ,I have without it,and because of it I am still able to enjoy windows of complete normality,its not perfect but after 10yrs Im not complaining

michaela13 profile image
michaela13 in reply to silvestrov

Silvestrov are you under a doctors care or did you do this yourself?

karolmilk profile image
karolmilk in reply to silvestrov

I am taking 2000 mg of tyrosine and 200mg of mucana but have extreme rigidity on right side, trouble with walking, and with writing. getting phenyalanine next week. Have you tried using together with tyrosine or mucana? Also, getting methione since very low on my lab results. Went off Sinemeet two weeks ago but not finding relief with natural products. Getting frustrated.

in reply to karolmilk

For muscle rigidity you can take Agaricus Blazei Murill extract (hidroalcoholic extract) ! The rigidity disapear in a few minute and the tremor slow down !!!!! You can take Mucuna and GLUTATHIONE REDUCED 500mg

ciuperciterapeutice.ro/shop...

Beckey profile image
Beckey in reply to silvestrov

So then if you take l-tyrosine you should also take tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)? Or is that even available? And at what doses?

Nehd profile image
Nehd in reply to silvestrov

My husband is moving into early PD...I agree about the Sinemet...Saw the results with my grandmother and it was not positive. We are going the "natural" route. Zandopa 7.5 grams ( 1.5 tsp) 3x's a day. We worked up to this, starting out with only 1/4 tsp....he never had any nausea or upset. It will be a year on Zandopa in June and he has no tremors...fatigue is main factor.

For the past 3 weeks he has been taking Keen Mind (Bacopa) which seems to have been very helpful as he was "seeing" people at night and would have some confusion. He has been greatly improved in that area. He also takes ashwaganda, ubiquinol Vits C&D...and B12 combo with Folic Acid and B-6...careful of the amount of B-6....in the past few days have started to introduce l-tyrosine 500 twice a day....about an hour or more after lunch and at bedtime, not when he takes the Zandopa. I would be interested in any suggestions for fatigue....His neuro is supportive of this route and can see that he is looking very healthy and holding his own so far.

billPD profile image
billPD in reply to Nehd

how has the natural path been?

akgirlsrock profile image
akgirlsrock in reply to silvestrov

Do you use only the specific tyrosine hyroxylase?

interpreters profile image
interpreters in reply to silvestrov

HI! I recently started taking Tyrosine on my own. What dosage of MC do you take and how often? How does it combine with the L-Tyrosine?

Than you for your response!

lovebobbi profile image
lovebobbi in reply to silvestrov

Grey: love your comment. Can you tell me how you take your mucana pruriens and tyrosine? I've been giving my dad the mucana pruriens in powder form. I also give him ashwagandha.

silvestrov profile image
silvestrov in reply to lovebobbi

Sorry for the slow reply the last month has been hectic and fortunately my schedule has slowed down.

I wish there were a formula for balancing mucuna pruriens with tyrosine as a therapy for PD, but there is not. The people who came closest to answering this question is in the (now retracted) case study called, 'Amino Acid Management' aka 'The Hinz Protocol'. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/a...

In this study the authors attempt to improve the condition of a 57 yo PD patient by balancing his dopamine and serotonin levels while raising his levels of glutathione.

They used a combination of vitamins, minerals, amino acids... including tyrosine, 40% levodopa/mucuna pruriens, cysteine (for glutathione), selenium, etc...as therapy - it is all spelled out in the article. One problem with this therapy is the Drs use clinical tests to check serotonin and dopamine levels to make adjustments for individualized therapy, a luxury that the reader does not have. Mind you I have known people who were treated with this protocol and felt improvement, but, like almost any form of therapy for PD, it has its issues. The therapy is expensive and side effects include lots of nausea caused by large consumption of 40% levodopa /mucuna pruriens. "In Table 3 of this case study the daily l-dopa dosing value of 14,700 mg per day is large."

A HU post about problems with the Hinz Protocol: healthunlocked.com/cure-par...

Even without a trained practitioner acting as a guid for this therapy there are some supplements which can be used from this article without guidance.

They use cysteine in the article but NAC is more stable and has a well established testing history with PD.

N-Acetyl Cysteine Is Associated With Dopaminergic Improvement in Parkinson's Disease pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/312...

1,000 mg of vitamin C is in this protocol and as little as 200 mg of vitamin C aids in the absorption of both tyrosine and levodopa. In my opinion 200 mg of vitamin should be taken with each dose of either levodopa or tyrosine.

THE ROLE OF ASCORBIC ACID IN TYROSINE METABOLISM nyaspubs.onlinelibrary.wile...

The effect of ascorbic acid on the pharmacokinetics of levodopa in elderly patients with Parkinson disease

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/156...

There are many forms of mucuna pruriens with different percentages of levodopa ranging from pure 100% to 3.3 % in zandopa. I posted a thread a while ago which shows the conversion ratio between Sinemet (levodopa/carbidopa), HP200/Zandopa - 3.3 percent levodopa, and Madopar (levodopa/benserizide).

healthunlocked.com/cure-par......

An alternative medicine treatment for Parkinson's disease: results of a multicenter clinical trial. HP-200 in Parkinson's Disease Study Group

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/939...

Hopefully this info gives you some options.

kevowpd profile image
kevowpd in reply to silvestrov

They use cysteine in the article but NAC is more stable and has a well established testing history with PD.

N-Acetyl Cysteine Is Associated With Dopaminergic Improvement in Parkinson's Disease

There's a significant unresolved issue associated with implementing this at home and that is how do you replicate the impact of the trial protocol without access to the injections:

"Forty-two patients with PD were randomized to either weekly intravenous infusions of NAC (50 mg/kg) plus oral doses (500 mg twice per day) for 3 months "

rlb_mo profile image
rlb_mo

Silvestrov what is a beginning dose of tyrosine and mucuna

silvestrov profile image
silvestrov in reply to rlb_mo

That is a difficult question to answer. I am doing a documentary about Parkinson's and have measured my dose from beginning to the present. I started taking 500mg of tyrosine twice a day, once upon waking, on an empty stomach, and the second dose at 4 oclock in the afternoon. I now take 1,000 mg twice a day at the same times as above. It needs to be noted L-tyrosine cannot be taken at the same time as Sinemet/L-dopa because there is a conflict in the smaller intestine between carbidopa (levodopa + carbidopa = Sinemet) and Tyrosine. The best form of tyrosine is pharmaceutical grade free form in a capsule - tablets do not work well. So now I am taking 2 grams (2,000 mg) a day of tyrsine and have added mucuna pruriens with the tyrosine. MP can interfere with the conversion of tyrosine into levodope to dopamine but it also blunts the possible nauseating quality that tyrosine my have on certain Parkinson's patients - it does not do it to me. Also, there is a higher incidence of melanoma in Parkinson's patients and if a PD patient has this he/she should not take tyrosine - take MP. Tyrosine can feed the growth of skin cancer and MP does not. As for the dose of MP I halve the dose recommended on the package and give myself about 500mg twice a day - same times as above. Of course everyone's body is different and your dosage may differ as might the appropriate composition. NOTES: when taking tyrosine and MP do not take the b vitamins B5 or B6 because they will interfere with the production of dopamine. NOTE 2: If you are on Sinement/L-dopa you HAVE to take vitamins B6 and B3 niacin. Why? Sinemet causes mal-absorption/deficiencies of both vitamins. There are 2 forms of niacin which are better than taking old fashioned niacin and it depends on your circumstances as to which one to take. 1) NADH - NADH helps the body produce dopamine, it is a co-factor, and if you are a new or recently diagnosed PD patient there is an 80% chance NADH will help you but the longer-term your PD is the less benefit it will have. 2) Nicotinamide is the amide of niacin and has been shown to have neuroprotective action PD. It will work for either short or long term Parkinson's patients.

End note: MP also has anti cancer properties, its anti-inflammatory action is similar to taking aspirin - PD patients have much brain inflammation; MP, in non-human primate trials, has been shown to reduce Sinemet-induced dyskinesias. MP also is used as an aphrodisiac in Indian culture and that may be an issue for PD patients too - in a clinical trial it has better response for increasing sperm motility than Sinemet. In other words, it has out performed Sinemet every single time it has been tested. The type of MP derived L-dopa that is available online (amazon - whatnot) is called Zandopa: amazon.com/Zandopa-Natural-...

in reply to silvestrov

Hi silvestrov!

¿How is it going the documentary? ¿Still on Mucuna Pruriens and Tyrosine? ¿So far so good? ;-)

Regards

cshamb profile image
cshamb in reply to silvestrov

I am taking 100/25 siminet 4x day and one mc at night plus CBD. Any idea how I would reduced siminet and increase mc.

silvestrov profile image
silvestrov in reply to cshamb

This a big question and I have been compiling information/studies which show strategies as how to make the drug L-dopa work better. There is overlap with non-synthetic (mucuna pruriens) levodopa. The information will be posted in a new thread.

lovebobbi profile image
lovebobbi in reply to silvestrov

I want to give my dad both tyrosine and thiamine. Can they be taken together or can either or both of them be mixed with the mucuna pruriens? Or do they all need to be taken separately? So confusing

silvestrov profile image
silvestrov in reply to rlb_mo

That is a very tough question which and I came to my required dose by experimentation. Also, I am taking several supplements which have been shown to decrease levodopa-induced dyskinesias/side effects.

DHA omega:

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/164...

600 mg a day of DHA (along with EPA omega 3 in the same supplement) is good.

GNC sells 600 mg worth of DHA + (about) 235 mg of EPA in single dose.

"These results suggest that DHA can reduce the severity or delay the development of LIDs in a nonhuman primate model of Parkinson's disease. DHA may represent a new approach to improve the quality of life of Parkinson's disease patients."

And magnesium:

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/128...

"These results show that magnesium sulfate importantly reduces levodopa-induced dyskinesia."

Mg sulfate is fine but not the best form of magnesium. A newly developed form, Magnesium L. threonate is great, along with magnesium chloride - its a liquid. I take the full dose of Mg l. threonate and about 170 mg a day of mg chloride. I use Mg Cl as a deoderant, yes it can be used as such, and spray and additional 10 sprays on my skin. The makes about 600 mg a day of magnesium. NOW has the best deal on Mg threonate;

vitaglo.com/2390.html?utm_s...

And swanson for magnesium chloride: swansonvitamins.com/q?kw=ma...

The limitations on any form of magnesium are as follows:

it cannot be used if you are on an anticonvulsant like gabapentin/Neurotin

it cannot be used if you have Myasthenia Gravis

it cannot be used if you have low blood pressure

it cannot be used if you have a poorly functioning adrenal gland

it cannot be used if you have renal failure (kidney problems)

Now lets get back to the original question? how much tyrosine & l-dopa do I use?

It is necessary to convert the mg of what dose you are receiving of your current L-dopa/sinemet therapy into mg dose of mucuna pruriens and it must be taken on an empty stomach. I take my tyrosine/Mp combo upon waking and 4PM in the afternoon on an empty stomach. Tyrosine cannot be taken with Sinemet/L-dopa, only with tryosine.

I realize this is a lot of information to digest but the question of how much MP and or tyrosine to take is complicated.

You may also like...