Another source for those interested in the Broad Bean: PARKINSON REPORT, 3rd
Quarter 1993 (NPF) has a definitive report called "The Vicia Faba Plant: A
Natural Source of L-Dopa, by Jose Martin Rabey, MD, Associate Professor of
neurology, Tel Aviv University.
I have always found beans to be a source of less desireable value, gas. This
is not far from the analysis provided in the defined report above.
For those interested is "The Poor Man's Sinemet" one can buy a vitamin
supplement called L-PHENYLALANINE. When I bought some they were $2.99 per 30
tablets. It turns out Phenylalanine is a precursure to L-dopa. Some have
found this supplement reasonable in the early stages of PD. Phenylalanine is
an early precurser of dopamine thus it is a slow supplement. L-dopa from
Sinemet is only one step from dopamine, thus it is much faster, (for a price)
etc.
A second use of L-PHENYLALANINE has been reported in papers in the "mental"
fields. Combined with Eldepryl, they form a very effective anti-depressant.
I think two papers were written showing this value. Someone starting on
Eldepryl, financially drained and depressed could look into this possibility.
If you are already on Sinemet and plan to supplement with this drug, forget
it. They work somewhat against each other as each is an amino acid and
competes for transport to the brain.
Finally, this came across another service:
From: Anne Rutherford
To: All
Subject: A place for Messages in Canada
The National Capital Freenet Ottawa Canada now has a special
interest group for Parkinsons. Call telnet 134.117.1.25 and choose (12)
for
special interest groups then (7) for Health to get to
Parkinsons. Werner Staubitzer had the idea ([log in to unmask]).
Anne Rutherford, St John's NF
Regards,
Alan
