Hi Some weeks ago I undertook to test an increased potasium diet in the light of discussion on lithium and Dr Iocono's bananas are good for PD suggestion . Potasium rich diet has traditionaly been used and I found a reference to " potash water " in an old book on medication . I take this to mean water collected over the top of wood ash . I consulted with my doctor prior to embarking on the trial and he reckoned one could not over dose on potasium because the gut would regulate the absorption . I found this article on potasium on the web http://web.bu.edu/COHIS/nutrition//health/supplmnt/minerals/potassium.htm = : - " Nutritional Supplements: Minerals: Potassium IMPORTANCE =F2Works with sodium to regulate the body's waste balance and normalize heart rhythms =F2aids in clear thinking by sending oxygen to the brain =F2 preserves proper alkalinity of body fluids =F2stimulates the kidneys to eliminate poisonous body wastes =F2assists in reducing high blood pressure; promotes healthy skin. DEFICIENCY =F2poor reflexes =F2nervous disorders =F2respiratory failure =F2cardiac arrest =F2 muscle damage SIDE EFFECTS (in overdose) =F2doses above 25,000 mg/day or more can be toxic, especially with kidney problems or failure. U.S. RDA RECOMMENDATION 1,875 - 5,625 mg Usually, the diet will provide adequate potassium but it very active individuals may need more of this electrolyte. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- - Contents provided to us by Austin Nutritional Research with permission. " I used the above imformation as a basis for my trial . As you can see the body can take up to 25 grams a day of potasium this is a huge amount . My initial trials were bedeviled because I was unable to get potasium from the chemist in measured quatities so I tried potash water and bananas . I had no idea of the quantity of potasium of either of these sources and probably fluctuate wildly . In the last couple of weeks I was able to go to a nonparanoid chemist and get some tablets with clear indications of potasium qiantity . The trial was conducted using 2 bananas plus an extra 4 grms of Potasium in tablet form on top of the usual diet and medication . I think bananas may contain= some chemical which helps the body use potasium as well as the potasium . EFFECTS ( PD) Reduction in tremor by 50 % . No longer suffer from severe constipation ( maybe a banana effect ) No inprovement in muscle dysfunction . No improvement in dyskinesia . EFFECTS ( other ) It had a strange effect that time seemed to stretch . Instead of an hour having passed only 1/2 an hour had passed . I put this down to patasi= um affecting my body clock . I tried to see if L-pyroglutamic acid would boost the effect .But it increased the dyskinesia . L-pyroglutamic acid is believed to boost the effect of theacetylcholine neuro-transmitter . I will at some stage repeat the experiment when I am not taking L-dopa . I will continue to use this list as a place to receive ideas for new experiments and to communicate results . I feel a lot more can be achieved this way than by any 100 million US $ . I personally have spent about 800 US $ in in the last 6 months on just chemicals and equiptment only . If you were to include my time as wel lyou can see that it only takes a very small proportion of the people with PD to dwarf any 100 million US $ . There is of course some big capital research that is outside the bounds of an individual listmember but most research need not be expensive . Finding out what affects my faulty brain is not just of interest to other people with siilarly faulty brains but also is the best way of finding out how the brain works . It would help the general knowledge if other listmembers tried similar experiments to establish the extent of the effect of any treatement/chemical . peace Alastair ( [log in to unmask] )