Is There Anyone Using Mucuna Pruriens For PD Symptoms? | MyParkinsonsTeam

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Is There Anyone Using Mucuna Pruriens For PD Symptoms?
A MyParkinsonsTeam Member asked a question 💭
posted September 29, 2015
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A MyParkinsonsTeam Member

Just an update on my hubby. Still on Keter Wellness Mucuna 20% 2 tabs four times a day.
Just added Amantadine and pleased with the results. Still not needing Sinemet ( about 4 years since diagnosis). Hoping to wait as long as possible. Hoping he will try Rock Steady Boxing!
Stay strong!

posted August 16, 2016
A MyParkinsonsTeam Member

My husband weaned off his Azilect over a month ago, as seemed to stop working after 2.5 years. We informed his neurologist that we had researched Mucuna Pruriens and wanted to try it. As it is an OTC, which of course, is not FDA approved, she was not able to give us any guidance. So far, he is doing well. Tremors are less, his mood is better and he is sleeping better (we did add low dose Melatonin, and that seems to be helping, too.
Still working on slowly increasing the dosage.
One of our biggest fears is the development of dyskinesia after 2-5 years on Sinemet, plus all the side effects of Sinemet and the drugs needed to treat dyskinesia!
So far, we have not really seen any real side effects. He still needs a short nap twice a day, but like he told the neuro Dr "my naps have no side effects!"
There is a book on Amazon called "Mucuna versus Parkinson's, Treatment with Natural Levodopa" by Dr Rafael Gonalez Maldonado,
which was very helpful.
Some people with early PD can use this as only treatment, others can work with their Dr to decrease dosage of Sinemet.
This has been used in India for 3,000 years to treat PD and is still used today in many regions, as many cannot afford the expensive drugs.
Of great interest to us is that it effects many neuro-transmitters in the brain , not just dopamine. Mucuna is natural, derived from the velvet bean, and not synthetic, like Sinemet.
As always, consult a physician before making any changes. The book strongly recommends being off Azilect for 2 weeks prior to starting Mucuna. The drug literature on Azilect recommends weaning off Azilect slowly, too.
Due to the potential for multiple, and potentially dangerous drug interactions, we are both so glad he has stopped that medication.

posted April 9, 2016
A MyParkinsonsTeam Member

Your welcome @A MyParkinsonsTeam Member
Selegiline is a MAOI like Azilect, so cannot be taken with Mucuna!! In fact, everything I have read advises to be off MAOI's for 2 weeks prior to starting Mucuna, due to risk of serotonin syndrome.
(Google selegiline, then select "drugs.com")
Lists many meds, and foods to avoid, including alcohol. Azilect had some of the food restrictions lessened, but not so with the older generation selegiline (brand name, Eldepryl)
There are so many potential drug interactions, both Rx and OTC that my husband wore a medic alert bracelet to let emergency workers know that precautions were needed!
So would definitely need to discuss with your Dr first if you wanted to wean off the selegiline first, then try Mucuna. The drug literature recommends weaning off MAOI slowly, too.
My husband is very pleased-not a cure, but he feels much better and is doing better now, but it takes a couple weeks to get the dosage up.
After weaning off Azilect, we started with the lowest dose recommended in the book I had downloaded, which details the history of
mucuna.
My hubby's schedule;
Week 1: Started with Himalaya Mucuna, one tablet 250 mg, 6% l-dopa =15 mg three times a day. Then switched to:
Week 2: Solaray DopaBean, one tablet 333mg,
15% l-dopa =50 mg three times a day
Week 3: Keter Wellness Mucuna L-dopa 20%, one tablet 700 mg, 20% l-dopa, which calculates out to 140 mg l-dopa, three times a day, which is current dose.
Next we will consider Zandopa, which is a powder form. I have read that it absorbs quickly in that form but taste not liked by some users.
I have not been able to find a naturopathic MD who uses Mucuna in our area, so doing this very slowly, which I think is best anyway.
Amantadine was mentioned in the book, and those on RX meds, like Sinemet and/or Amantadine worked with their Dr to lower their Sinemet or other drugs.
On Mucuna alone, no dyskensisa, but when combined with Sinemet, there could be dyskensisa if too much l-dopa, hence cutting back on Sinemet. (No personal experience with this yet.)
Hope everyone will do their research and discuss with your Dr if you want to try this- just remember, not for use with selegiline or rasagiline (Azilect).
Everyone has their own Parkinsons and we feel empowered to try more natural remedies, with fewer side effects. Hope this helps.

posted April 10, 2016 (edited)
A MyParkinsonsTeam Member

Thank you @A MyParkinsonsTeam Member for your reply. My Dr recently changed my Azilect to selegiline since my insurance no longer covers Azilect (they say it hasn't been proven to help with PD). What brand of mucuna is your husband taking? And what amount? I recently got my mm card and have been looking into CBD oil. My Dr gave me the ok to try it. Still working out the dosage. My PD symptoms are still just the tremors and I'm still only on Amantadine and selegiline. No Sinemet yet, trying to avoid it as long as possible. Like you, I'm trying to stay as natural as possible. I would to hear more about what you find that helps your husband.

posted April 9, 2016
A MyParkinsonsTeam Member

Dr Jan Truby who practices in Burleson TX uses this with PD patients. We have an appointment in November. I like what I've read about it.

posted October 14, 2015

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