Impact of Diet on PD Meds: Do you avoid protein in the day?

My husband avoids protein for about an hour before and an hour after meals. Other than that he has a regular amount of protein at every meal and a protein shake as a snack during the day. Was it a doctor who told your husband to avoid protein?

Best of luck.

On June 27, after reading info from APDA, I switched to protein only at night. I'm giving it a month but, so far, no change.

@jtes yes, his doctor said minimal protein and then only turkey/chicken or cod/salmon. So in addition to suffering from the terrible motor and non motor symptoms of Parkinson's his diet is now so restricted. Apparently Ensure has too much protein! What can he eat that gives him energy and some joy? It's so sad and hopeless.

A number of people (I don't know what percentage of PD patients) with PD do not have good uptake/effectiveness of their immediate release Sinemet medicine within some-period-of-time (often thought to be an hour, yet it could be longer) after eating protein. If your husband has discovered this is true for him, and if he does not take a Sinemet dose after his evening meal, that might be why he was told to limit protein to his evening meal.
During the day, he could also try taking his Sinemet dose at least 20 minutes before eating a meal with protein. Immediate release Sinemet "typically" is absorbed and uploaded to your brain within 20 minutes.

Personally, when I used to take immediate release C/L tabs, I had a lot of difficulty eating protein at all because I took a dose so often (every 2.5 hrs) and, since for me the protein blocked my dose from being effective for such a long time after eating it, that I was left with very narrow windows of time in which I could eat any protein. I'm now taking controlled release C/L, which FOR ME works great.

I'm not suggesting that anyone should make a change in their current meds because of what worked for me.
Also, if your husband has not experienced a lack of effectiveness in his Sinemet when taking it after eating protein, then I know of no reason why you would need to wait until his evening meal to eat protein.

Remember, there's a reason that PD is often referred to as the "snowflake" disease. No two people's symptoms are the same. I believe that given the uniquenesses of our symptoms, how our bodies' process the protein we eat, and many other factors unique to our individual bodies, we must accept that there is no "one size fits all" answer. You need to pay attention to what your own body is telling you and, especially when you think a change in your routine needs to be made, keep detailed notes on the time you go to bed, the time you wake, how you slept, if your sleep was interrupted, the time and amount of each Sinemet dose, the time you eat and what you ate, the type and duration of your physical activity and exercise during the day, naps taken, how your body felt (lots of energy or tired/fatigued, nausea or no nausea, positive outlook or sadness/depression, etc. ).

It may be difficult to maintain these records for several days but you'll be so pleased that you made the effort and put in the time, and that you have them to refer to when you discuss all of this with your neurologist.

@spatase My wife takes Sinemet six times a day. (Before sleeping the dose is extended release. ) She is 77 years old, diagnosed with Parkinson's five years ago. Her MD and her PA (both Parkinsons specialists) have said to not eat protein an hour before or an hour after taking Sinemet.

@spatase I’m so sorry your husband and you are going through this. It seems that many doctors have a different approach to protein and medications. My husband’s neurologist told him to not worry too much about protein at all. I wonder if there is a nutritionist attached to your husband’s doctor’s practice. Is swallowing an issue? If not, why not a hamburger? Or, pasta with meat sauce?

As others mentioned, everyone's experience is different so you must test what works for you. My movement disorder specialist suggested taking my Sinemet with a meal with protein to avoid nausea but whatever combination worked for me was fine. You definitely need the protein for energy and muscle strength. And exercise is one of the most important factors to fight PD. I exercise 6 or 7 days per week and supplement meals with a protein shake. Best wishes, Joe

My wife has been taking Sinemet for the last 14 years and eats as much protein as we can put in her diet to maintain weight. This hasn't affected the absorption of the Sinemet in her case. We've recently discovered during the past two years that she has suffered from other conditions that are Vascular Parkinsonism, but her neurologist said it's advanced Parkinson's disease because she was diagnosed with it first and it affected her lower body. Unfortunately it all comes down to the relationship you have with your neurologist and current care team.

Thank you for your response. And AMEN about the importance of relationships with the medical team.

I have been taking Sinemet for about 18 months. Taken alone, I experienced frequent nausea. Since my dr added a Carbidopa pill each morning, the nausea has subsided.
Adrienne