Mucuna

Hello @stelal and welcome to the Parkinson's support group on Mayo Connect. I did find some information about this supplement on WebMD. Here is link to this information which indicates that there is no evidence indicating the effectiveness of this supplement for PD patients.

Have you been recently diagnosed with PD? If so, have you tried prescribed drugs such as Carbidopa/Levodopa?

Yes I have been taking 400mg of Mucuna Pruriens for the last three months. I am 70 year old male and I first notice body tremors in my chest area 9 months ago. I mostly notice the tremors at night and they have not intensified as of yet. My neurologist has said I have PD but I’m not convinced. He put me on 40mg L-dopa right away but after doing some research I realized he is not the Doc for me. L-dopa only reduces the tremors and loses efficacy after 5 years for many people, actually casing tremors. Additionally, it does nothing to slow the advancement of the disease. So why did he put me on it when I have no visible tremors?
I also take the following;
B complex, Magnesium, Omega 3 (fish oil), L-Phenylalanine, and L-Tyrosine. I am determined to stop this in its tracks. I have noticed that when I do 30 minutes of medium intensity aerobics and some weight lifting the intensity of my tremors at night decreases. I am also on a strict diet having lost 20 lbs with the intent to lose another 10 by May 1st. My plan after that is to maintain my weight using the Mediterranean diet and exercise.
I also bought the Oura ring. This is worn 24 hrs a day and gives me great info on my sleep. I’m trying different things with the intent to increase my Deep sleep cycle, which is the time when your Lymphatic system flushes out the toxins and waist built up in the brain during the day. This has implications on Dementia as well as PD. I have also just purchased a toxicity protocol that analyzes your body waist for all toxins including heavy metals etc.
I have an appointment with UF health Neurology Fixel Institute in Gainesville Fl this week for an evaluation and in May with the Neurology department at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville. I believe that this disease can be reversed and I’m on a mission to do just that. I believe you have to be your own best advocate for your health and must be proactive.
I would love to hear what you have done and anything you can share regarding your experience so far. It sounds like we are alike in our approach to PD.
Best
Tom Overholt

I have recently discovered that the statistics show that 25% of “PD” patients are misdiagnosed! I’m looking forward to the new a-Synuclein test that has so much promise to actually confirm a PD diagnosis. Additionally I’m researching probiotics to find the best one as so much research recently has come out on the gut/brain connection. Bened life probiotic seems like a good choice if you can afford it but at $4.90 a day for two pills its to expensive for me. I will follow up on the results after seeing the Doc’s at the Fixel Institute and Mayo Clinic.
Best in Health
Tom O

After an extensive examination at the Fixel institute in Gainsville, Dr Fanty decided I show no outward signs of PD. The cause of my inner body tremors is still unknown. She cautioned that it could be the early signs of PD, but at this point it’s too early to tell. A few things she pointed out. 1) It’s presented itself in an atypical manner, not in the limbs and not on one side first. 2) Having had these tremors for 9 months now with no change in symptoms means it’s very slow to progress if it will at all. 3) It’s too early to try any other test because of the chance of a false negative. I was very impressed with the Fixel Group, which is attached to the UF medical facilities in Gainsville Fl. The exam was much more extensive compared to any other I have experienced so far.
I will pursue the toxicity testing for heavy metals and other toxins testing next and have an interview with Dr Greg Eckels Brain regeneration clinic this afternoon. Has anyone had any experiences with this group.