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I thought the gum treatment would be easy and harmless to try out so I did. I could actually speak better after chewing - why is that? but too soon to tell. I get my groceries on line so I Iooked into ingredients of gums most all of which had warnings re "phenylalanine". In looking it up I found this. don't know who wrote it but thought it interesting that phenylalanine it is claimed to be chemically similar to dopamine. (I think in my post-cancer pre-PD life panic attacks I suffered from excess adrenaline or I depleted it) Maybe someone on he List can shed some light on this: Ray "Phenylalanine is an amino acid found naturally in breast milk of mammals (including humans) and in meats, cheeses and nuts. It is chemically similar to adrenaline and dopamine and as such has been marketed as a supplement to combat depression and pain. One source of phenylalanine is the artificial sweetener 'aspartame' which is most likely the source quoted on the back of your chewing gum. Despite some controversy, aspartame has been found safe for human consumption by over 90 countries worldwide. However, there is a genetic condition called 'phenylketonuria' (literally: phenylketones in the urine) that prevents the body from breaking down phenylalanine and can lead to mental retardation. However, heel prick tests at birth can detect the condition early enough to implement a suitable diet regime facilitating normal brain development. There is no 'cure' but a number of therapies including gene therapy show promise. If you had this condition you'd know by now or it would be truly remarkable you were able to write this question given the level of cognitive impairment you'd have suffered. In short, chew as much as you like. You might consider looking for a gum that uses xylitol as the artificial sweetener though, as it tricks the acid-producing bacteria in the mouth into thinking it is sugar - they try to eat it, starve to death and consequently your oral health is improved. a.. 6 months ago " Rayilyn Brown Director AZNPF Arizona Chapter National Parkinson Foundation [log in to unmask] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn