The first powder I bought was Zandopa, manufactured by the company Zandu Emani Limited
in Kolkata, India. It says it contains standardized mucuna pruriens seed powder in a flavored base. It is an off white color with black specs. I have never taken it because there is a question what the flavored base is and also it does not contain all the ingredients of the MP powder.
The next powder I purchased is the Kapikachhu powder from Indigo Herbs of Glastonbury in the UK. It says it contains Organic Kapikachhu power and nothing else. It is exactly the same color as the Zandopa ( off white with black specs), however not sweet. That is curious, does that mean it does not contain all the ingrdients?
The third powder I purchased is Mucuna pruriens seed powder ( product of India) but manufactured in the US ( West Palm beach,Florida...Z Natural Foods.) This powder looks nothing like the other two. It is a yellow cinnamon color and has a bitter chocolate taste....not medicinal like the Kapikachhu powder. This is the one I have been taking and seems to work well.
The only difference I noticed between the Kapikachhu powder versus the MP powder at Z Natural foods is that it made me slightly sleepy.
All 3 claimed to be organic and safe......does anyone else have experience with the above or different powder forms of Mucuna pruriens?
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bmakla54
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Yes i bought 2 different types of Mancuna P last year for my Dad to try as i was not impressed with the Sinemet he has to take & being a natural form of Ldopa why not,one was Zandopa from India in a round tub & the other was from a guy in Ireland who imported it & was a lot more concentrated i even think it was pure MP as the dosage was a lot less than the Zandopa & came in a silver foil bag like the army food you warm up in hot water! It was more expensive probably double than Zandopa £20-£25.Anyway after all that my Dad did not want to try it as he was worried it would have side affects with his other meds?? So he will never know if it would help or not & rather trust the Doctors ??????? How much Zandopa do you take a day & the other one from Glastonbury as i might try him again as he is getting worse,hes 78 by the way & diagnosed about 3 years ago.
I started with 1/8 teaspoon and now I take 3/8 teaspoon of the MP powder 3x a day with sinemet (100/25) 3x a day. I have already eliminated 10 1/2 mg requip and 1 mg azilect. I would like to slowly increase my MP powder and eliminate my sinemet altogether...I will do it slowly. I am 61 and was dx in 2009.
I am tremor dominent and before taking sinemet, I couldn't walk across walmart w/o leaning on a basket....couldn't pick up my feet.,,,and alot of pain.
With LDN I am a changed person....but I still need sinemet. The mucuna will replace the sinemet w/o the side effects of dyskenisia ...that happens with sinemet. I haven't noticed any side effects of MP....but you must experiment with the dosing and make sure your source is safe and free of toxins......
Forgot to mention I take the MP from Z Natural foods......which acts just like the one from Glastonbury. You do not want to give MP to your Dad if he is taking a MAOI like azilect......it could cause high blood pressure....so check his meds.....
Take care,
BMakla
I keep hearing a lot about the MP to replace the drugs used.
so much conflicting advice and types available.
Does anyone know of a site which gives scientific views/trst results of it and how it works?
Yeah I just bought some from India. It's the earthy powder colour, no white bits. It tastes like bitter coffee or what I imagine bovril might taste like, but I may have taken too much. The reason I say that is because it made me tired and gave me stomach cramps (short term). However, I also took 5htp at the same time and maybe this made me tired. So 1) I took less MP to see if it makes a difference and I didn't add 5HTP today, instead I'll take it at night time.
I also take: Green Tea/L-Tyrosine 500mg - 1g/Vit C 1gram/B Vitamin complex/Melatonin at night (3 mg) and Propanolol 80mg slow release for my physiological tremors (which are mild).
So... I've tried three different types of Macuna Puriens and didn't notice any difference. I've even slightly over dosed (just to test it) and nothing. What does this mean!? Argh.
Where do you buy your zandopa & how much is it? If you're using 2/3 heaped teaspoons just once a day, it must cost a lot? Also, surely that one dose wears off? What about half that dose twice a day?
I get it from eBay. There is a supplier that I found who sells it at £23.99 for four tubs which I think is remarkably cheap. Occasionally I take a smaller dose in the evening as well. I don't recommend my dose to anyone else, it's the amount that works for me after experimenting. I used to take less, now I find I need a little more. You have to find what works for you- if it works for you.
Well, you raise a very valid point.. I've taken my dose and I've taken your dose and I don't notice too much of a difference - that said (and it could be psychological) but I feel more in control.
Do most people feel a very noticeable physical difference within an hour of taking it?
My husband, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease more than 12 years ago, has found a dosage of Mucuna Pruriens powder that works for him very successfully, though he is taking much more than we have seen mentioned elsewhere. He has been using it for about a year and a half with no loss of effectiveness.
When his prescribed PD medication lost effectiveness, becoming almost useless, he experimented taking 1/2 a teaspoon of pure Mucuna powder (simply ground up velvet bean) stirred into a little purified water, but it didn't have much effect until he gradually increased the dosage to a level Tablespoon. At that dosage it switched him into an "on" state within 10-15 minutes, reliably, almost every time*. Mucuna usually keeps him steadily "on" for at least 3 hours (longer when he exercises), without side effects other than the dyskinesia he has had for many years. Mucuna also made him feel better - healthier and stronger - which is not surprising since the Mucuna bean is naturally nutritious. It is also reputed to have neuro-protective qualities.
He gradually swapped most of his PD medication - Stalevo (L-dopa, Carbidopa & Entacapone) - for numerous one Tablespoon doses of Mucuna. He now takes from 6 to 8 one Tablespoon doses of Mucuna a day, and just 2 Stalevo a day (morning and mid-afternoon) because he seems to need the Carbidopa to help the L-dopa in Mucuna cross the blood brain barrier.
Despite vague warnings we've seen online about taking too much Mucuna, he has had no problem taking multiple large doses. We assume his body recognises Mucuna as the natural food source it is, and absorbs it as quickly and easily as it absorbs food. A synthetic drug like Stalevo would never be encountered in nature, so it is no wonder his body struggles to absorb it, and also suffers its uncomfortable side effects. (No one ever got healthy on pharmaceutical drugs.)
*There is another piece to the puzzle. On the rare occasion Mucuna does not kick in quickly and reliably, we have discovered it can be dependent on what, when and how much my husband eats. A few years ago, an excellent PD specialist told us that animal protein can interfere with the absorption of L-dopa, so my husband became mainly vegan and noticed his PD drug (Stalevo) worked better for a while. Mucuna also works better for him when he follows a vegan diet, and when he takes it on an empty stomach. Also, if he follows a dose of Mucuna with a very large meal, the Mucuna may stop working while he's digesting the meal, but an extra dose of Mucuna soon gets him back "on".
Now that he understands fully how to control his diet, my husband is a much happier person knowing he can rely on this natural substance to work almost 100% of the time. He can get through his day without the discomfort and inconvenience of long "off" periods. He is able to work hard in our garden, has set up a home gym where he works out for up to an hour, and he plays pool in the evening at our local social club, where he is well respected for his cheerful ‘can do’ attitude.
We now have so much faith in the effectiveness and safety of Mucuna that we have no fear of him taking these larger-than-recommended doses. He feels and looks better than when he relied only on pharmaceuticals. In fact, we think of Mucuna as a health food as well as a treatment for someone with PD.
Thanks for your really helpful reply - very informative, and despite not being the original poster, you have put my mind at ease about taking this as a beneficial food supplement. Can I ask where you bought your Mucuna Pruriens powder from? I've been searching online, and have found 2 stores, Rawliving.eu, and indigo-herbs.co.uk - though not sure which has the better source.
Does he take the Stalevo and the MP at the same time? His Age? I'm 77 newly diagnosed. On Sinemet 25/100 x 3 day and fearful of Azilect 1gm which neuro recommends. I also take NAC, NADH, and various supplements. Also pure CBD and bi weekly acupuncture. Will be increasing my MP from 1/4 teaspoon x 2 day to more gradually. Thanks. Tom from California
I spent the first half of my life in California, but live in the UK now with my English hubby.
He will be 70 in a couple of weeks. He was diagnosed 13 years ago in 2004. He takes Stalevo just after taking Mucuna in the morning, then he takes his 2nd Stalevo, usually on its own around 2-3 pm.
His neuro is very dismissive of Mucuna, despite its obvious beneficial effects in my husband's case. She keeps advising him to take Azilect or other drugs, but he doesn't want to take any more drugs and risk their side effects. He feels well and is very happy as he is right now.
We have considered trying CBD oil to treat his dyskinesia, but it is currently beyond our reach financially. In what way do you feel it benefits you? I would be grateful for your experience with any of the supplements you take.
The CBD seems to be very calming with 5-8 drops under tongue. Also take magnesium, b-complex, fish oil & coq10. I assume he takes MP or Stalevo every 2-3 hrs ? Did Azilect work? Scary stuff. Live in Fresno. Went to Cal. Where did you live in California?
Thank you. Yes he takes Mucuna about every 3 hours, sometimes up to 5 hours when he's exercising. He reduced his Stalevo from 5 a day to only 2 now. He never tried Azilect. What makes you say it is scary? I've heard others say the same thing, but don't know why. We both had a gut feeling he should avoid it. I lived mainly in San Diego, then a couple years each in Bakersfield (not far from you) and Santa Cruz.
He was first given Sinemet after being diagnosed with PD, but it soon began causing unbearable cramp-like pain in his legs. He was then put on Stalevo and Gabapentin to reduce the pain.
Although 5 daily doses of Stalevo on its own helped my husband move for a number of years, it became less and less effective over time, leaving him 'off' more often than 'on'. That is when he started swapping out Stalevo for Mucuna. Now, as long as he also takes a couple of Stalevo doses along with the Mucuna, he is almost always 'on' during the day.
I'm not sure, but I believe the carbidopa in the Stalevo helps the natural levodopa in the Mucuna cross the blood brain barrier more readily. If he takes only Mucuna without a little Stalevo, then the Mucuna begins to wear off sooner by late afternoon.
If he could take a couple of doses of just carbidopa instead of two doses of Stalevo each day, he would. Better yet, would be to find a natural alternative to carbidopa so he could stop taking Stalevo altogether.
"unbearable cramp-like pain in his legs" Could it be that the pain in my legs caused by C/L ? It became so excruciating (screaming) that I had to have epidural injection to my back.
The pain came mainly at night when lying in bed. It would last a couple long seconds and repeat through the night. Does that fit what your husband experienced? Maybe I should stop taking C/L.
RoyProp, your medication could very well be causing your pain which sounds very like what my husband experienced. We've been told few PWP experience pain, but those who do - like you and my husband - suffer badly.
My husband's original PD specialist was dismissive of his reports of agonizing pain day and night, and his local GP just offered him various pain killers that didn't touch it. The GP finally threw up his hands and said, "You'll just have to live with the pain."
Eventually, the pain became so constant and unbearable (writhing in a chair or bed for hours crying) that he asked to see another doctor. She turned out to be an angelic Iranian doctor who was exceptionally compassionate and keen to help him quickly. She got him an emergency appointment with the best PD specialist in Cambridge (UK).
As soon as this specialist saw my husband sitting in agony wriggling his legs as if he had RLS, he said, "I know what that is and your medication (Sinemet) is causing it." He explained that a few people experience this sort of pain both as the medication begins to work and as it is about to wear off. He said most people get some relief as the effects of the medication peak, although sometimes the pain continues throughout the whole dose. (Why don't all PD 'specialists' know this?!)
This very caring and experienced PD specialist changed my husband's medication from Sinemet to Stalevo, which has the addition of Entacapone (besides C/L) to treat the wearing off symptoms. He also added Gabapentin - to treat neuropathic pain during the day.
Those changes made a huge difference during the day - the pain decreased dramatically to just an occasional short-lived uncomfortable feeling in his legs as his meds kicked in. (Now that, many years later, my husband has swapped out most of his doses of increasingly ineffective Stalevo for Mucuna, he almost never feels even this discomfort now.)
The new specialist also prescribed a bedtime dose of Amitriptyline for chronic neuropathic pain, and Pramipexole/aka Mirapex to prevent muscle spasms and RLS at night. The Pramipexole seemed to be the most helpful of these drugs. Fortunately, my husband doesn't suffer from any of the compulsive behaviors or most of the other possible side effects of Pramipexole, 'though he does occasionally drop off to sleep suddenly. (This led to him having to give up driving.) But at least he sleeps comfortably and solidly now every night.
It is hard to believe his life has changed so drastically from one filled with such severe pain all those years ago to the pain-free life he leads today - 13 years after his PD diagnosis.
I would recommend you talk to your specialist about this, maybe even print a copy of this letter for him or her to read. And if you don't like the response you get, consider changing your specialist. I truly hope this helps you, or anyone else experiencing pain with their PD. Wishing you all the best.
Hello ! Thanks for all this info..I've been taking 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of Mucuna from Banyan Botanicals in the US. every morning upon waking. I find that it makes me very sleepy within an hour. I'm not on any meds. Would you have any thoughts on this ? Thanks !
We've bought Mucuna from various UK traders online, including eBay traders who sold it for the lowest prices, but only temporarily. Now we mainly buy it online from Detox Trading* who always seem to have supplies of organic Mucuna.
We haven't been able to determine any difference in quality or effectiveness of any brand we've tried. They've all been equally effective, as long as they are simply the pure ground up Mucuna bean. So it is worth shopping around for the lowest price.
I should add - the first Mucuna we bought was many years before we had any idea what to do with it. My husband took his first ever 1 teaspoon dose at bedtime, which turned out to be a mistake because the Mucuna made him twitch all night long, so he didn't take any more at that time. We kept the Mucuna sealed in an airtight container for at least 3 or 4 years before we felt compelled enough for him to try it again, and finally he found the timings and dosage that worked for him. The main point of this story is that the Mucuna powder didn't have a 'use by' date and it was still perfectly good after all those years.
*Here's a link to the organic Mucuna powder on Detox Trading's website.
I understand your concerns, we had them too. But there shouldn't be any fillers in pure Mucuna Pruriens powder - it is just ground up velvet beans with no additives.
There are products like Zandopa, which is MP plus some additives (like sweeteners), but we choose to avoid those.
Thank you but frankly, who knows what is really in these powder concoctions from eBay/Asia or beyond? Are people so desperate that they throw caution and quality control (standards) to the wind for a quick win? I suppose when u are hurting enough and the claims are strong enough (anecdotally ), MP becomes a rational decision. I understand that it works, but really worry that every batch can be different, as it's unregulated. I am feeling like I'd rather starve than take either; prescriptions that have horrible side effects over time and alternative therapies which do not have standard dosing or quality controls. Lesser of 2 evils. Curious as this unfolds. And again, congratulating those bold enough to trial alternatives and document recommendations for the legions trailing.
I try to avoid anything digestible that comes from Asia. They can't even be sure of the quality of their baby formula and empty the shelves here in Perth to send it back home! It's a huge problem for people with little bottle fed babies!
There is no discernible difference between all the brands of Mucuna powder we've tried. None of them ever lists a 'strength'. Mucuna is just ground up dried velvet beans and I assume all velvet beans are much alike.
I bought 5 pounds of Mucuna from Z natural and have been taking heaping spoonfuls for over one month but come to find out that he extract or the l-dopa content is only 5% you want to do some research and get better certification with 100% l-dopa extract I am in the US New Jersey so I am going to buy from nutrivitashop.com/l-dopa-10...
Most of the companies we buy MP from are very reputable with high quality control standards. But to be honest, we've never seen or experienced any discernible difference between any two batches of MP we've ever bought from multiple sellers. If we ever do, we will document that too.
As far as ebay goes, we only buy from sellers who have excellent feedback. The MP we've bought always seems to come from India, so we've developed a lot of trust in their MP. However, we would be unlikely to ever buy MP that came from China since that scandal where a company added melamine powder to baby formula. I do understand the concern.
I purchased 5 pounds of mucuna From Z natural. The catch is that it is only 5% l-dopa you need to go and find a supplier that sells 100% or in that range l-dopa extract powder that is what I’m looking to do now. I’m going to buy 500g From these people nutrivitashop.com/l-dopa-10.... Just do a little bit of research before you jump into anything.
Taking high concentration Levodopa without decarboxylase inhibitor is likely to exacerbate possible side effects such as nausea and it won't make any difference whether you take synthetic Levodopa or natural from mucuna.
Unfortunately, there is a common misconception that the active ingredient in Mucuna is just the Levodopa alone. This is beyond untrue: Most studies performed with pure Mucuna powder (4-6% Levodopa) showed that it outperforms plain Levodopa in terms of efficacy, absorption, bioavailability, duration and number of side effects.
The positive effects of Mucuna over Levodopa are attributed to the natural decarboxylase / MAO inhibitors and other yet-to-be-identified beneficial compounds which Mucuna may contain. Therefore Mucuna Extracts of 12% and above may compromise these innate properties found in the natural Mucuna powder. It is very likely that PD patients experience the full benefits of Mucuna when taken as whole powder instead of extracts.
* Mucuna pruriens in Parkinson disease : A double-blind, randomized, controlled, crossover study ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...
* Video: Natural Mucuna powder vs Levodopa vs Madopar (PD Patient)
Nausea is reported but more prominent when Levodopa is taken alone. Sleepiness and Dizziness appear more likely with Levodopa / Levodopa + DDCI . Prolonged adverse events are more prominent with Levodopa alone and absent with the other agents.
Bottom line: Levodopa alone appears to have the most adverse reactions (12). The least adverse effects are reported with MP-low dose (1)
I stopped using the Z natural products over a year ago all there products are from China anyway and I think they have been cut or there old and weak but I compared several products and the colors weren't even close so I'm using products that work and are real due to a good friend of mine is living in the Chinese area due to job and and new wife the stuff he sends me is the real deal and with these 3rd party sellers your rolling the dice anyway that being said I'll stay with Amazon and a few of there best sellers.
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