In the Tufts University, Diet & Nutrition Letter, vol12,No.10,p 7 under
the heading "Dietary Help for People with Parkinson's Disease" there is
a brief, four paragraph observation that "... researchers are now finding
that it may be possible to prolong L-dopa's positive effects, and the
solution they are looking at involves diet -- the timing of meals and the
foods chosen."
Under the sub heading, "The protein link,"the letter goes on to say,"One
strategy for people who have begun to suffer the on-off syndrome is to
start taking their L-dopa 45 minutes to an hour before eating because
food can interfere with the drug's ability to make it to the brain.
Another, more controversial,dietary recommendation is to keep protein
consumption to a minimum. Protein poses a particular problem for
Parkinson's patients because during digestion, protein components called
amino acids enter the blood stream and are taken from the blood to the
brain via the same 'carrier' that transports L-dopa. That is,the more
amino acids present at the time a person takes L-dopa, the harder it is
for the drug to get a 'seat' on the carrier that goes to the brain.
And, if L-dopa can't get to the brain, a person is likely to slip into
an 'off' phase."
The newsletter goes on to warn Parkinson's patients about the
dangers of a self-imposed protein-less diet, and observes that
"One solution introduced several years ago -- zealously avoiding
protein during the day and eating a large amount in the
evening so that L-dopa can do its work during waking hours -- can
do more harm than good by causing severe 'off' phases at night.
For instance, someone who saves all his high-protein meat,
poultry, and dairy products for dinner might wake up in the
middle of the night unable to move,a terrifying and dangerous
situation, especially for a Parkinson's sufferer who lives alone.
As a result of such frightening experiences, some people with
Parkinson's have tried to avoid protein altogether, thereby
ending up with malnutrition."
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| Sid Roberts [log in to unmask] |
| Youngstown State |
| University [log in to unmask] |
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