Parkinson's Disease: The Facts and the Future

Parkinson's disease is a neurological disorder of the substantia nigra. The substantia nigra is a specific part of the mesencephalon which affects an individual's mobile and psychological abilities. Unfortunately it is a progressive disease that takes a toll on the communication among neurons in the brain and muscles. It has been estimated that there are about 100 to 250 cases in every 100,000 people in the U.S. and Canada combined. The international numbers are increasing as well. Argentina for example, has a range of 650 plus cases in every 100,000. It is also believed that the onset of the disease would be around the age range of 58-60. Some have that onset much earlier. Muhammad Ali for example, had his onset during his early 40s. The disease is basically regarded as a modern neurological problem here in the U.S. due to the fact of its recent research. Once it progresses, symptoms would include tremors, bad postural reflexes, stiffness, fatigue, Dystonia and etc. The list pretty much goes on unfortunately, but the latest research in stopping Parkinson's is apparently showing some promise.

The latest weapon that has been used to combat Parkinson's disease is the Co-Enzyme Q10 (CoQ10). Some scientists consider it to be the "miracle vitamin" that can possibly do wonders. In a disease such as Parkinson's, time is critical to prevent the major onset from occurring which is why I believe that Co-Enzyme Q10 will fight with power and will unlike many of the treatments available in the market. The vitamin is not exactly new, but it was actually discovered in 1957 by Prof. F.L. Cran from the University of Wisconsin Enzyme institute. This so called miracle vitamin can amazingly treat the symptoms of this debilitating disease with pretty good results. One must know that the treatment slows the development of Parkinson's, not just treat the symptoms in general. This in my opinion will give scientists more time to break the barriers that are preventing them from finding that cure in particular. I honestly do believe that the cure will be discovered within 10 years at the most, but like I've mentioned before, time is of the essence.

This whole plan for battling the illness is more of a study rather than an actual distribution of the treatment itself. It never hurts to be too safe because you will never know if anything can go haywire especially when treating Parkinson's. Judging from my experience with vitamins, it is always important to be cautious because there is always that one rarity that can occur in terms of risks. For example, I once tried a vitamin called "Omega Vitamin E" and I was unfortunate to suffer from the consequences because I temporarily experienced pounding heart beats that lasted for about 20 minutes. I intended to take these vitamins for nutritional purposes and I was aware with the circumstances even though they were very uncommon. Apparently I was too healthy to take such vitamin because I am already an active individual. This pretty much proves my point in this study because not all patients will experience relief.

According to Dr. Karl Kieburtz from the University of Rochester, the results from this study do not exhibit on how these agents (supplements) are effective against Parkinson's disease even though the news was encouraging from what he told the World Parkinson Congress. His results from the study were posted on the March 14 issue of Neurology. Some scientists have in fact speculated that the CoQ10 vitamin can help safeguard the nerve cells that die off in Parkinson's since it's a compound made in the human body. I was already familiar from what CoQ10 was capable of based the previous courses I have taken in the past. This vitamin does indeed have benefits that outweigh the risks. Since it does actually

The CoQ10 vitamin is not the only treatment being used in the fight against Parkinson's, but the antibiotic minocycline and the muscle-related compound creatine are being used as well according to the National Institute of Health. These two compounds are believed to actually diminish the type of cellular trauma that can harm cells. Though minocycline is a prescription drug, creatine can be easily available in the dietary supplements section in your local drug stores. These creatine supplements are actually used for gaining muscle mass. I have had many friends use this supplement and I would definitely not recommend using it.

We all know the benefits these drugs can bring, but I also would like to explain the warnings too. If there is anything I learned from medicine is that every treatment can have its side effects. The CoQ10 vitamin may sound like a safe over the counter vitamin, but the side effects include upset stomach, nausea, diarrhea, and itching or rash. That may not be serious to many, but the real problem lies within blood flow. This may increase the risk of hemorrhage or blood clots. And if this does indeed occur, you must seek medical attention immediately especially if you are taken meds such as aspirin, Plavix, or blood thinners such as Warfarin. The consequences may be dire if not taken care of right away because scientists are still not fully familiar with the drug in particular even though it was discovered almost 50 years ago. I had a gut feeling about this because people do take other medicines while they are on CoQ10 especially senior citizens. We are all familiar on how this actually affects the heart itself. Most likely it is very healthy for those who have angina.

As for creatine, people ignore the side effects of it and because of that, we are witnessing younger individuals fall apart with them. They may increase your muscle mass, but they can have a negative impact on you as well. I have had family and friends take these supplements and it has literally changed them in so many ways. They've experienced irregular heart beats, extreme stomach pain, and depression. I never believed in taking these things because I would rather work out the good old fashioned way. Depression has basically been an unknown factor in these scenarios. I know for a fact that steroids do cause depression. It would not be good at all if a Parkinson's patient takes these supplements for such a long time especially when the side effects can really take a toll. Can a patient handle taking three different meds along with the ones they are already taking? I say no.

The third and the final of the supplements also have side effects unfortunately. The antibiotic minocycline is widely used to treat acne and believe it or not, it has the potential to cause death. This could possibly be the most dangerous of the three and unlike the other two, it can be responsible to cause a wide variety illnesses. The safest way to use minocycline is by applying it on acne. It's hard to imagine a Parkinson's patient taking this to treat themselves especially when it's for a very long time. From what I remember, acne patients use this for at least 3 weeks or possibly less. Even if it's a successful way to slow down the onset, can you imagine someone consuming minocycline for years?

All and all I do believe that it is worth it because you will never know when the actual cure will be found. I feel that we are very close to finding the solution to this neurological illness. I give it 10 years tops before we find a way to solve this problem without have to consider the side effects. From my investigation, I feel that the treatment is not as safe the way the media makes it out to be. The CoQ10 vitamin seems to be the safest of the three, not just because it's a vitamin, but because it's made by the body and accumulated in the liver, kidneys, pancreas, and heart. We actually have the CoQ10 vitamin in our bodies until around the age of 30 and it pretty much explains why people over the age of 30 need it so much especially those who have Parkinson's. I have learned so much from this research and believe it or not I always learn something new when it comes to the disease itself. This is not the first time I have researched Parkinson's. I strongly recommend everyone to look up Parkinson's because it may become a common disorder in the near future.

References:

NINDS-NIH Parkinson's disease backgrounder. National Institute of
Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
National Institutes of Health (2001). Retrieved May 3, 2004 from:
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/health_and_medical/pubs/parkinson's_disease_backgrounder.htm

Larsen, H.R. (1997) Parkinson's disease: Is victory in sight?
Originally published in: International Journal of Alternative and
Complementary Medicine
Vol 15, No 10, October 1997, pp. 22-24. Retrieved May 4, 2004 from:
http://vvv.com/HealthNews/dparrewb.html

Nicholl, D. (2003) Parkinson's Disease. Online Tutorials in Neurology.
Department of Clinical Neurosciences. Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Retrieved
May 3, 2004 from:
http://medweb.bham.ac.uk/http/depts/clin_neuro/teaching/tutorials/parkinsons/parkinsons1.html