New hope for Parkinson Disease. Part Two: Holistic Treatment.

The goal of medical therapy in PD is two fold – one is to alleviate the symptoms and the other is to stop the progression of the disease. There has been progress in drugs that help symptoms. From the days of using L-dopa, we have more available options for treatment. (L-dopa itself has been shown to increase production of free radicals and homocysteine which paradoxically can worsen the progression of PD. *, 9) But when it comes to preventing the neurological degeneration and stopping the progression, the pharmaceutical model has failed. That is not too much of a surprise to me since the root cause has not been addressed. As with anything that is done in the ‘integrative’ or ‘holistic’ medical model, we look to address these fundamental factors.

Knowing the mechanism of how PD develops, Dr. David Perlmutter in Naples, FL pioneered treatment using the most powerful anti-oxidant in the human body – glutathione. Glutathione is normally made by the body in ideal conditions and helps the body get rid of toxins, stimulates the immune system, reduces inflammation and helps our energy metabolism. Given our knowledge of the cause of PD (See Part One of this blog) it would make sense for a molecule with such functions to help PD. Glutathione is very hard to absorb orally and the idea of using it intravenously came out in the late 80’s and 90’s. David Perlmutter started using big doses of glutathione intravenously and found people getting better. Since then it has been used by many different physicians with good results. From my experience glutathione seems to give an immediate improvement in symptoms that lasts initially for short periods of time and then can progressively increase in some cases with further therapy. (D. Perlmutter, M.D video)

Other anti-oxidants and amino acids have been shown to have a beneficial effect on PD. A study on the nutrient coenzyme Q 10 showed that at doses of 300 -1200 mg it slowed the progression of PD. The amino acids L-methionine, L-tryptophan, L-tyrosine and D-phenylalanine have also been used in combination with L-dopa to get a synergistic effect. Another metabolite called NADH has been shown to be deficient in PD patients. Replacement of NADH orally and by IV has been shown to have some benefit on the treatment of PD. ( 8 ) On a much more tasty and fun note – berry extracts specially blueberries have been shown to decrease chemical markers suggestive of brain degeneration in PD and Alzheimer’s. (9, 10, 11)

One of the things that I have noticed over the years that whatever the diagnosis is the most fundamental steps to good health are the same. And so it is with PD. Given that is caused by the accumulation of free radicals – those steps we take to eliminate free radical production would be very helpful. That includes use of large amounts of anti-oxidants and detoxification of organic and inorganic (metal) toxins.

Newly evolved physical treatments for PD are also very exciting. Numerous studies have shown that exercise can slow or stop progression of disease. As any of us who have exercised can guess, these exercise programs were helpful in improving functionality and gait but also helped mood and overall mental outlook. (1 , 2, 6, 7 ) A study done at St. Louis U showed that a program of learning tango significantly improved Quality of Life in PD. Prof. Claudia Murphey of Arizona State University has created a dance program for PD patients that has been shown to improve range of motion, balance and overall gait. (Website) Some of these studies also show that those who exercise are less likely to develop PD. (3, 4, 5)

So when looking at cures for PD its important to think outside the box, as there are numerous modalities available to improve quality of life and as importantly to prevent it. PD is not a sentence to a poor quality of life. On the contrary, it can be used as an opportunity to make changes in our life that will not only improve symptoms, but pave the way for improvements in our life in other ways that we would not have even imagined.