What I’m taking

8/29/23

When i was diagnosed with PK, I looked around for supplements that might be helpful in slowing the disease. These are the ones that I’m currently taking.

(Be aware, these are my choices. My disease may be different than that of others. Certainly, my physiology, metabolism, and biochemistry will be different. Therefore these supplements are not intended as suggestions for anyone else but me. In other words, I’m not offering medical advice. I’m not a physician and am therefore not competent to do so).

1. Carbidopa/Levodopa 25/100. This is not a supplement. It was prescribed by my physician. It is the recommended drug to treat Parkinson’s symptoms. I take it three times a day. It seems to have lessened the tremors.
2. Vitamin B-12 – 2500 mcg. My general practitioner told me to take this vitamin because my blood tests showed that I was low in it. i take it once a day.
3. Taurine – 500 mg. Taurine is a sulfur-containing amino acid that is abundant in the brain, bile, and many tissues. It’s not found in proteins and its structure is different than the familiar amino acids. Humans synthesize taurine (so it’s not a vitamin) and it is found in meats but not in vegetables. Several small studies have suggested that it its concentration diminishes with age and that it’s reduced in people with Parkinson’s. It may be that taking a supplement may be helpful in slowing the disease but the evidence isn’t overwhelming. I take one tablet per day.
4.  Hydroxy-methyl-butyrate – 1 gram. Several articles have indicated that this ketone body may have some ameliorating effect on Parkinson’s, but I’m taking it because there’s some evidence that it helps prevent muscle loss in aging individuals.
5. Vitamin D – 2500 UI. Like B12, I’m taking this vitamin because my blood test indicate that I’m deficient.

In addition to these supplements, I’m consuming a small container of Activa yogurt every morning. There’s some indication that the gut biome has an effect on Parkison’s, so I’m hopefully changing its composition with this probiotic.