Can Probiotics Help Parkinson’s Disease

Naturalremedy For Parkinsons #7 Omega

Animal based omega-3 fatty acids are a powerful weapon inthe fight against Parkinsons disease. One of the main fatty acids, DHA, is oneof the essential building blocks for the human brain. Half of your brain andeyes are made up of fat and a large proportion of this is DHA fat.

Omega-3 fatty acids have the unique ability to cross theblood-brain barrier, something most conventional drugs cannot do. They helpincrease dopamine levels and reduce neuroinflammation in the brain, while atthe same time, stimulating neuron growth. So basically, EPA and DHA help preventbrain cell damage and keep the nervous system in tip top working order! 4

Best sources of animal based omega-3s are either fishoil, cod liver oil or krill oil. High strength krill oil is the preferred option as thiscontains a substance called Astaxanthin. Astaxanthin is a potent brain food nutrientthat has been shown to prevent neurodegeneration and inflammation of the brain.For dosages, take AT LEAST the highest recommended amount listed on the bottle the same goes with fish oil or cod liver oil. You cant overdose on thesesupplements so theres nothing to be concerned about. In fact, the more omega-3syou can get into you the better the results!

In addition to this, try and eat some cold water fattyfish such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines or herring 3-4 times a week foran extra supply of DHA and EPA.

Clinical Evidence For Probiotic Supplementation In Parkinson’s Disease

Several studies have demonstrated the benefits of probiotic supplementation in PD patients, particularly as a treatment for constipation. Constipation is a very common symptom in PD, with a reported prevalence of up to 70%.54 Constipation causes significant distress to many patients and can sometimes lead to serious complications such as intestinal pseudoobstruction, volvulus, and acute urinary retention.54 The problem is also often insufficiently responsive to currently available laxative treatments.55

In an openlabel study of 40 PD patients, supplementation of fermented milk containing Lactobacillus casei Shirota , together with diet therapy, for 6weeks was associated with a significant increase in the number of days of bowel opening with normal stool consistency and improvement in constipationassociated bloatedness, sense of incomplete emptying, and abdominal pain.56

Two subsequent doubleblind placebocontrolled randomized clinical trials have provided class I evidence for the use of probiotics as a treatment for constipation in PD.57, 58 In the first RCT, 120 PD patients were randomized to receive either fermented milk containing multiple probiotic strains , combined with prebiotic fiber , or a placebo for 4weeks.57 There was a significant increase in the number of complete bowel movements per week, as measured by stool diary, as well as improvements in bowel frequency, stool consistency, and frequency of laxative usage, in the treatment group.

Variance Stabilizing Transformation And Deseq2 Analyses

Since the DESeq2 approach does not account for zero-inflated data, the correction factors were calculated using the GMPR method that is based on geometric means of pairwise ratios. Euclidean, BC, and JSD distances were used as beta-diversity estimators after normalizing the data via VST through the DESeq2 package. Statistical differences between control and PD groups were tested using the adonis2 function as specified above. DAs were calculated using default DESeq2 parameters that include a negative binomial GLM fitting and a Wald test. Multiple testings were accounted for using BH P value correction.

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An Opportunity To Investigate

The initial findings are promising, but there is still work to be done to investigate the effectiveness of Bacillus subtilis in treating Parkinsons symptoms.

Lead researcher, Dr Maria Doitsidou, from the Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, said: The results provide an opportunity to investigate how changing the bacteria that make up our gut microbiome affects Parkinsons. The next steps are to confirm these results in mice, followed by fast-tracked clinical trials since the probiotic we tested is already commercially available.

Whilst the next stage of research is completed, anyone who is interested in improving their gut health, should consult a qualified health professional or specialist before making any changes to their diet, medications or supplement intake.

Risk Of Bias Assessment

A total of 11 included studies were randomized controlled trials, but two studies did not provide information about random sequence generation and four studies did not provide information about allocation concealment. All of the studies described the blindness of the participants and personnel, whereas only four studies reported the blindness of outcome assessments. No risk of incomplete data was found in any of the included studies. In general, the assessment of bias reported a low to moderate risk of bias across all areas. Figure 2 summarizes the risks of bias assessment across the recruited studies.

Figure 2. Summary of risk of bias assessment: judgements of the review authors on each risk of bias item for the included studies .

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Trial Design And Subject Recruitment

A three-month double-blind RCT was performed and the experimental processes were shown in Fig. . All recruited patients received the pharmacological regimen at the beginning of the trial in three hospitals . Criteria for inclusion: male or female were diagnosed according to the Movement Disorder Society Clinical Diagnostic Criteria for Parkinsons disease in 2015 patients have clear consciousness and can complete the examination, questionnaire, and medical history collection on their own or with the help of their families patients who fulfilled functional constipation according to Rome IV criteria, including less than three spontaneous bowel movements per week for the past 3 months with symptom duration of at least 6 months patients who agreed to participate in the study and signed informed consent form. Criteria for exclusion: serious cognitive dysfunction that affected written and verbal expression severe aphasia or dysarthria mentally unfit serious physical diseases, including severe abnormal liver or kidney functions chronic digestive system diseases or tumors took immunosuppressive agents for a long time or antibiotics within one month prior to this study declined to participate.

/ Neurological Health Probiotics For Mood And Movement

Parkinsons is caused by progressive loss of dopamine-synthesizing neurons in the substantia nigra region of the brain. Interestingly, intestinal cells and some probiotic bacteria can also make dopamine and its precursors. In fact, preclinical studies of the neurologically active probiotic strain L. plantarum PS128 suggest its able to increase dopamine levels in key regions of the brain. PS128 also appeared to be neuroprotective in studies with animals, reducing the loss of dopamine-producing neurons in a 4-week study .

Can PS128 help people with PD? In a recent pilot study of 25 people with Parkinsons, each participant took 60 billion CFU of PS128 before bed for 12 weeks. Participants continued to take their usual doses of levodopa and any other anti-parkinsonian drugs during the study. Most participants reported shorter off periods, fewer motor symptoms during both on and off periods, and better overall quality of life when taking PS128* . A larger randomized controlled trial studying the benefits of PS128 for PD is currently underway. PS128 is available as Neuralli from Bened Life.

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Naturaltreatment For Parkinsons #9 Exercise And Other Alternative Therapies:

Regular exercise has been shown to help Parkinsonssufferers by reducing muscle stiffness, increasing mobility, and enhancing postureand balance. Exercise also increases oxygen levels and neurotransmitters, alongwith releasing potent mood elevating chemicals called endorphins.

The type of exercise performed for PD is crucial. Aqua orwater aerobics can be particularly useful as traditional exercise is usuallyquite difficult for many Parkinsons sufferers. Muscle decline, loss of strength,stiffness and loss of balance can make conventional exercises difficult toperform. The great thing about aqua aerobics is it still has the same benefits as other exercise regimens,but the risk of falling is eliminated.

Other types of exercises that can be beneficial for PDsufferers include Tai Chi, Yoga, dancing, walking, aerobic/jazzercise classes,and general stretching.

For more information on the different exercise programsavailable for Parkinsons patients, you can check out this website Exercise and Physical Therapy for ParkinsonsDisease

Current Gaps And Future Directions

Modification of the gut microbiome and/or metabolome using dietary,62 probiotics, and other approaches may provide new therapeutic, and possibly even preventative,63 options in PD. However, there currently remain many knowledge gaps surrounding the use of probiotics in PD. These offer a rich ground for further studies.

For a start, welldesigned and highresolution investigations on the gut microbiome and especially functional alterations in PD need to be conducted, and their findings need to be replicated and further dissected . In the general probiotic field, insights into probiotic mechanisms of action have mostly been gleaned from in vitro, cell culture, or animal studies,38 and future research should also incorporate studies investigating their actions in humans .39

The clinical effects of probiotic supplementation on important PD features, including parkinsonian motor disability, motor response complications , and other common nonmotor symptoms such as cognitive impairment, depression, anxiety, and psychosis, are important areas for further research. Longerterm studies examining probiotic efficacy and safety are needed, although these may be quite challenging to perform, particularly in PD . Another major barrier in PD clinical research has been the lack of reliable biomarkers for measuring disease severity and, therefore, the need to rely on clinical rating scales with their inherent limitations.60, 64, 65, 66, 67

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Can Probiotics Help Support Parkinson’s Gi Symptoms + Biotiquest

Can Probiotics Help Support Parkinson’s GI Symptoms? Itâs a question I explored in this interview with Robert Rodgers, PhD, on Blog Talk Radio. We also discuss the journey to find supportive therapies for my husband, John, an 18 year “veteran” of Parkinson’s Disease, and the development of our probiotic, Sugar Shift.

Robertâs show is all about Parkinsonâs Recovery, so we naturally talk about our research in the Parkinson’s Microbiome, emerging research in gut health and constipation as an early indicator of Parkinson’s, and the foundational science behind the Sugar Shift formula, which was designed with eight strains of probiotic bacteria that work together to convert Glucose and Fructose in the body in to mannitol.

Tune into the interview here, and I would love to hear your feedback! And you can learn more about Sugar Shift here.

With gratitude,

Home Remedyfor Parkinsons #5 Vitamin D & Vitamin E:

Inflammation and low immunity are two powerful factorsthat contribute to the development and worsening of Parkinsons disease. Bothvitamin D and vitamin E are strong anti-inflammatories and immune boosters. VitaminD & E also protect our brain cells and can even help damaged neurons regenerate. A deficiency of these key vitamins has also been linked to brain difficultiessuch as poor memory and recall attainability.

In regards to PD, a study of 157 Parkinsons patientsfound that the vast majority of them had severe to chronic vitamin Ddeficiencies. The findings, published in the Archives of Neurology in March of 2011, revealed a strong linkbetween inadequate levels of vitamin D and the onset of early Parkinsonsdisease.4

Back in 2002, another study was published in the Archives of Neurology which tracked themental decline of 3,000 men and women diagnosed with Parkinsons disease over a period of 7 years. The study found the participants whose supplemental vitamin E intakewas higher experienced a 36% reduction in theseverity of their symptoms compared to the rest of the group. Another study, whichappeared in the Lancet Neurology onlinemagazine in 2005, showed that vitamin E may actually prevent Parkinsonsdisease from developing in the first place! 8

Where to Get Your Vitamin D and Vitamin E From?

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What Is Parkinsons Disease

Parkinsons Disease is a progressive neurological disorder which affects around 120,000 people in the UK. Progressive means that it typically worsens over time and neurological means that it affects the nervous system . The main symptoms of Parkinsons are slowness of movement , rigidity, tremor and postural instability . While Parkinsons is typically described as a movement disorder, a person with Parkinsons may experience a range of other symptoms including constipation, low mood, fatigue, sleep and memory problems. Symptoms of Parkinsons can be grouped into two major categories motor symptoms and non-motor symptoms .

Parkinsons typically strikes in middle age, with around 80% of cases presenting between ages of 40 and 70, and progression of symptoms is generally slow and continuous. Younger people who develop Parkinsons are more likely to have a relative with the illness suggesting a stronger genetic component. Symptoms usually begin gradually and motor symptoms are often preceded by non-motor symptoms such as fatigue, loss of smell, depression, constipation and sweating abnormalities.

If you are concerned that you or a friend or family member has symptoms of Parkinsons, you or they should see a GP immediately.

How Parkinsons Relates To Gut Health

With the onset of Parkinson’s disease, sometimes the first observable effect is damage to the digestive system, which in turn causes gastrointestinal symptoms and telltale damage to the neurons, the latter of which classifies Parkinson’s as a neurodegenerative disorder.

The gastrointestinal symptoms of PD are directly related to the disease’s effects on gut health. They can be uncomfortable and distressing for patients and tend to contribute to feelings of loss of dignity and loss of independence. These symptoms are caused by inflammation of the digestive organs and the enteric nervous system and may include:

• Fecal incontinence

Previous studies have demonstrated that PD is marked by a change in the composition of the intestinal microbiome. In some cases, the microbial imbalance of the digestive system occurs before the neurological decline, and in some cases, the dying off of neurons in the substantia nigra of the brain happens first. In either configuration, the communication of the gut-brain axis is altered, exacerbating both the motor and non-motor symptoms of the disease.

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Samples Collection And Clinical Parameters

The treatments continued for 3 months. Clinical improvement was the primary outcome of this study, while changes in the fecal microbiota and serum metabolites were the secondary outcomes. Patients were assessed by Unified PD Rating Scale-III for the overall condition of PD Mini-mental State Examination , Hamilton Anxiety Scale , and Hamilton Depression Scale-17 for their mental state Parkinsons Disease Sleep Scale for sleep quality Visual Analog Scale for the degree of pain Activities of Daily Living for their daily living ability and Patient-Assessment of Constipation Quality of Life for their GI symptoms and other constipation-related issues, including Bristol scores, difficulty in defecation, feces hardness, incomplete defecation, assisted defecation by hand, number/week of spontaneous and completed defecation.

Parkinsons Disease: Cause & Treatment

The cause of the disease lies in the breakdown or death of certain nerve cells. The symptoms are caused by a loss of neurons that produce dopamine.

As dopamine levels decrease, your brains functioning becomes abnormal and Parkinsons disease develops. There is no known cause of how this all happens, but there are factors that play a part.

Research has identified certain genetic mutations that can cause the disease as well as environmental triggers, such as exposure to toxins.

Currently, Parkinsons is treated with medications to help increase dopamine production, as well as cognition-enhancing and anti-tremor medications. Patients also seem to benefit from light exercise, which takes care of sore and stiff muscles as well as cardiovascular health.

Aerobic exercise for 20 or 30 minutes a day for five days a week has had a positive impact. There are also surgical options available.

Deep brain stimulation involves implanting electrodes into the brain, which are connected to a generator that is implanted in your chest. Electrical impulses are sent to the brain and have been known to reduce Parkinsons symptoms.

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Gut Microbiota And Its Metabolites Are Altered In Pd Patients

Several studies have examined alteration in gut microbiota composition in PD patients, but as observed in other disease states, the results are heterogenous in terms of differences in specific taxa . There are several factors that contribute to such variability, including lack of standardization in sample collection and sequencing techniques , differences in study design, sample size, geographical diversity of patient population, and heterogeneous nature of PD .

Table 1. Gut microbiota alterations in Parkinsons disease

PD, Parkinsons disease qPCR, quantitative PCR.

In an attempt to identify potential link between gut microbiota and PD, we will next examine factors that contribute to alterations in gut microbiota, and then discuss how gut microbiota changes could contribute to PD.

How Is The Microbiome Different In People With Pd

Based on numerous studies comparing the microbiome from the gut of people with PD with the microbiome from the gut of people without PD, there appear to be some differences. The studies are not consistent in their findings, but there are similarities across studies. These include an increase in certain families of bacteria such as Lactobacillaceae and Verrucomicrobiaceae, and a decrease in the family Prevotellaceae.

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Several Pathways Working Together

To find out how B. subtilis is able to prevent and clear alpha-synuclein aggregates, the team used RNA sequencing analysis to compare the gene expression of animals receiving a standard diet with that of those receiving the probiotic.

This analysis revealed changes in sphingolipid metabolism. Sphingolipids are a type of fat molecule, and they are important components of the structure of our cell membranes.

Previous studies suggest that an imbalance of lipids, including ceramides and sphingolipid intermediates, may contribute to the pathology of , the authors comment in the paper.

Yet, changes in sphingolipid metabolism were not the only pathways that the researchers identified.

They also saw that B. subtilis was able to protect older animals from alpha-synuclein aggregation through both the formation of complex structures called biofilms and the production of nitric oxide. In addition, the team saw changes in the dietary restriction and the insulin-like signaling pathways.

Importantly, when the team switched animals that had first received a standard diet over to a B. subtilis diet, their motor skills improved.

The results provide an opportunity to investigate how changing the bacteria that make up our gut microbiome affects Parkinsons. The next steps are to confirm these results in mice, followed by fast-tracked clinical trials since the probiotic we tested is already commercially available.