Joao Paulo,
I don't know about the status of other supplements, but Thioctic Acid (aka
Alpha Lipoic Acid) is being heavily researched. I have found numerous
Medline abstracts describing its effectiveness as an anti-oxidant (also a
chelater of iron and an inducer of glutathione production). One abstract
published here on the list documented a study which demonstrated that
Thioctic Acid makes its way to the substantia nigra (in rats anyway) and
specifically relates this function to effectiveness in treating Parkinson's.
I personally stumbled on TA on a research web page at Berkeley.
The big problem is that no one claims that TA mitigates the symptoms of PD.
If anything, it is an anti-oxidant which might delay the progression. I
assume, as a powerful anti-oxidant, TA will also reduce the chance of
spontaneous combustion in PD patients taking it.
The only "research" I have stumbled on for NADH is the oft quoted Birkmayer
(sp?) study.
We have all witnessed the vitriolic discussions concerning NADH on this
list. I have heard many medical/biology professionals dismiss it for any
number of reasons. Some say it can't do any good but can have serious
side-effects. Others say it is so active, it will be chemically neutralized
before it reaches the stomach. Someone else said that our bodies are
already so full of NADH that it would take a truckload to have any real
effect. Please note the contradictory observations. On the other hand, you
have the "pushers" trying to make a buck off of it. Finally, you have the
pharaceutical companies who will do their best to quash any research in
these areas.
So where does all this leave us poor sufferers? It leaves us with each
other communicating our personal experiences over the web. Frankly, I trust
the personal experiences of PD'ers on this list more than I trust researchers.
What it finally boils down to is SNEAKERS. I remember reading a newpaper
column many years ago in which the journalist (someone like Dave Barry)
summed up his opinion of the health research community in one word -
SNEAKERS. As a child, he was forced to wear shoes all the time because the
medical community predicted dire consequences to children allowed to wear
sneakers (no arch support) for long periods. Apparently God forgot to give
us arch supports. These same researchers were pushing the use of XRay
machines at shoe stores to assess proper fit. Everytime he finds himself on
the verge of accepting some fad prediction - the journalist pinches himself
and says SNEAKERS!
Ron Reiner
At 12:28 PM 1/26/97 -0500, you wrote:
>If so,then comes my question what intitutions such as NIHC,the Harvad
>Neurological Center,the Mayo Clinic,The Stanford U. Medical R.,and many
>others renowned research centers in USA,Canada,England,Israel and Europe
>have to say on the subject.Should'nt it deserved the greatest attention
>from them if the results are as told ?
>
