>
> From:          Bob & Joy Graham <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject:       Re: Possible Lithium us...


> It is my understanding that over many years of use, lithium actually causes
> parkinson's like symptoms and other nasty side effects.  Certainly I have
> seen this first hand.  It is also on the list of drugs (Our Australian
> list, anyway) which have the potential to worsen pd symptoms.
> So don't even give it a thought....unless you need it for bipolar illness
> (and even then there may be better alternatives.)

I dont want to seem to rude about lithium treatement but it seems to
control hypermania by depressing mental function .
 Once I was on it for a few days before I got out of hospital and
stopped taking it . It caused me severe constipation which is also a
problem with my PD so I suggest the opposite to lithium and that is
potasium as a medication for PD.
  The only references to potasium use I have found are:-
  1 )  Anita Freeman
  2 ) An aternative remedy suggested by a friend that was called
something like kalphos ( potasium phosphate ) that was meant to be
good for the nerves . I dismissed it at the time as I thought we were
dealing in trace element deficiency and since there was no evidence
of deficient diet on my part I ignored it .
 3) Dr Iocono's suggestion about eating bananas , which are high in
potasium . This seems to to have  been met with a lot of ribald humor
about monkeys recently on this list .

Theory
The human body is cells in a sodium chloride ( salt)  solution .More
accurately a solution of Na+ and Cl -  ions .
The sodium ion ( Na+ ) in the lithium treatement is replaced partly by the
lithium ion Li+ . If one takes alot of potasium the potasium ion ( K+ )
partly replaces the sodium ion in the body . All three elements are
alkaline metals a behave similarly chemicaly . One of the
main differences is the size .Lithium is smaller that than sodium
while potasium is larger . The size of the ion has important effects
in chemical reactions .
    One sees a similar situation when one starts replacing the
clorine ion with other halides . The larger bromine ion has
traditionally been used to suppress sexual drive . Like lithium it
seems a very negative effect. This leaves the tantalizing question ,
does the repacement of the chlorine ion by the smaller halide ion of
fluorine help PD symptoms . There is little evidence of the use of
fluorine except to help teeth enamel and the concequent
fluoridization of drinking water . Could this be a possible
explanation of why well water produces more PD than city water ?
  The replacemnt of the halide ion with other negative ions like
phosphate might have even greater beneficial effects .
  This is not intended as a detailed explanation of what is going on
in the brain chemistry . But the beggings of an explanation as to why
altering the bodies ion balance may inprove PD symptoms . Yesterday I
was reading in Nature magazine how calcium in th brain alter the
brain pattern ( I did not understand any detail again ) . But put
this together with following quote from Judiths quote from Reuter on
lithium .
.
"investigators found that lithium had an effect on glutamate receptors,
specific sites at which the glutamate attaches itself to the neuron.
These glutamate receptors regulate the amount of calcium that enters
the neurons. By controlling the glutamate receptors, lithium affects
the extent to which calcium can enter the cells."

and a picture although extremely lacking in detail and might be
completely wrong is emerging .
  This picture suggest that altering the alkaline metal ions and
halide ions in the body has an effect on the calcium uptake by the
brain . This in turn has an effect on the neuron firing pattern  .
this would have a great effect on  PD if one accepts my proposition
that PD is basically a neuron firing pattern spasm  and not directly
a dopamine deficiency . ( 75 % of PD neural firing pattern spasm is
caused by a lack of dopamine and exess dopamine in the brain can
often help the spasm caused  by something else  other than dopamine
deficiency )
     Magnesium that also features on Anita Freeman's list has a
different chemitry to potasium the ion being bivalent Mg++ and so
will affect the ion exchange differently . Calcium is also bivalent
so there might be a more direct effect on the calcium by the magnesium
but there is not even the beginnings of a picture here with so little
data on my part .( a line for future enquiry ) .
       I have started my high potasium of tablets and bananas ! and
because it takes time to build up the ion concentration change I do
not expect to see much effect for weeks . ( I am assuming the same
timescale as for lithium medication ) . I will post again in about 3
weeks on results .
  This is quite a cheap experiment . I tend to look on my PD as a
great opportunity to do experiments and maybe find out how the brain
works . Why destroy chimp brains with MPTP ?
   I am told that high potasium levels can cause high blood pressure
and heart attacks . I shall be moderating my intake therefore .
     peace
          Alastair     ( [log in to unmask] )