Sunday, March 24, 2024
Sunday, March 24, 2024
HomeCan Probiotics Help Parkinson's Disease

Can Probiotics Help Parkinson’s Disease

Gold Standard Clinical Trial

Can Probiotics help to keep Periodontal disease in remission?

The team have designed a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial the gold standard for testing if treatments actually work. Neither the participants or the researchers will know who will be taking the real Symprove treatment and who will be in the placebo group, which is important to avoid any subconscious bias. And, as there is a placebo group in the study, the results should be able to show if the treatment has a greater effect than the placebo effect.

The study, which will be taking place at a single center in London is part- funded by Parkinsons UK and is due to begin in February 2019. It will recruit 60 people with Parkinsons taking either oral probiotic or placebo for 3 months.

Measurements Of Transepithelial Electrical Resistance

Caco-2 cells are human colonic adenocarcinoma cells that form confluent, polarized epithelial monolayers with well-differentiated intercellular tight junctions structures. The integrity of the barrier function can be measured with TransEpithelial Electrical Resistance . TEER is an in vitro measurement of the movement of ions across the paracellular pathway.

Parkinsons And Gut Health

The findings of this research project, which was co-funded by Parkinsons UK, build on previous research linking brain function to gut bacteria.;

Dr Beckie Port, Research Manager at Parkinsons UK, said:;Changes in the microorganisms in the gut are believed to play a role in the initiation of Parkinsons in some cases and are linked to certain symptoms. That’s why there is ongoing research into gut health and probiotics.

Studies that identify bacteria that are beneficial in Parkinson’s have the potential to not only improve symptoms but could even protect people from developing the condition in the first place.;

Recommended Reading: How To Use Melatonin With Parkinson’s

The Best Probiotics For Men

The best probiotic for men very much depends on what you want the probiotic for. All probiotics will have health benefits, and most are good all-rounders but if you want to target something specific, there are a few different options. Well look at the common reasons men take probiotics and which is the best one to choose for each one.

Naturaltreatment For Parkinsons #9 Exercise And Other Alternative Therapies:

Parkinsons Disease Treatment: Probiotics Bacteria Found ...

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

Also Check: What Is Used To Treat Parkinson’s Disease

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 Parkinson’sdisease.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?

A Problem With The Gut

New research is helping us to better understand what causes these symptoms and moving towards new and better treatments. Some of the latest research has focused on the role of the gut in Parkinsons . And recent studies have shown that the microbes that live in our guts, called the gut microbiota, can be altered in people with Parkinsons.

Much of the research into what constitutes a healthy gut microbiota has focused on bacteria. And we still dont fully understand which species of bacteria are good , which is why researcher Dr Doitsidou and her team are systematically studying the various types of bacteria to identify those key few that play an important role in Parkinsons. But evidence is pointing towards several species of potentially protective bacteria being missing in people with Parkinsons.

Don’t Miss: Do Parkinson’s Symptoms Come And Go

But How Does A Bad Microbiome Produce Parkinsons

A 2017 study has revealed at least one of the major reasons why the gut microbiome can produce Parkinsons. Researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham tested 197 Parkinsons disease patients along with 130 healthy control subjects. To offset for local diets, the study tested people from the South, people from the Northeast and people from the Northwest. The researchers tested each persons gut bacteria and analyzed the different species that populated each persons gut.

The findings were eye-opening.

First, the study once again established that Parkinsons disease patients have abnormal populations of gut bacteria compared to healthy people. But it was the particular species of bacteria that became the most revealing aspect. Dr. Haydeh Payami, a neurology professor in the school of medicine at the University of Alabama explained:

Our study showed major disruption of the normal microbiome the organisms in the gut in individuals with Parkinsons.

The researchers found that probiotic species that are involved in helping the body remove toxic chemicals from the body were glaringly low among the Parkinsons disease patients. Probiotic families at lower levels included:

Bifidobacteriaceae Pasteurellaceae Verrucomicrobiaceae

This is significant. Why? Because other research has linked Parkinsons disease to the exposure of chemicals in pesticides and other consumer products.

Potential Roles And Mechanistic Effects Of Probiotics

Does exercise and socialising help my Parkinson’s?

Probiotics are defined as live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer health benefits to the host. The therapeutic and prophylactic effects of probiotic administration are thought to be mediated through a wide assortment of mechanisms, which have been well described elsewhere,- and are briefly summarized here.

The host gut microbiota can be impacted by probiotic supplementation through competition , antagonism, and cross-feeding., The formation of biofilms by probiotic bacteria promotes colonization and longer permanence in the mucosa of the host and avoids the attachment of pathogenic bacteria. Many probiotic strains are antagonistic toward other microorganisms due to the production of organic acids , which lower luminal pH, and also bacteriocins, which inhibit pathogens in the human gut and urinary tract. Interestingly, supplementation with Lactobacillus probiotics during Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy has been found to improve eradication efficacy, presumably due to their antagonistic activity against H. pylori. Cross-feeding between probiotic bacteria and host microbiota can promote the production of SCFAs such as butyrate in the gut, with benefits as described above.

You May Like: What To Eat With Parkinson’s Disease

Gut Bacteria Control Your Life

Weve learned a lot of things about the human body in recent years. Some have been on the microscopic level. Some have been more obvious but were still overlooked for centuries. Some sound like science fictionsuch as the fact that your brain isnt the only part of your body that contains brain cells. Or that your gut also has its own brainone extensive enough that scientists think it may control more than just digestion. But by far what weve learned the most about is the bacteria that call your gut home and the profound effect they appear to have on nearly every system in your body.

We now know, for instance, that the wrong gut bacteria can make you obeseand the right ones can make you lose weight. We know that gut bacteria influence your immune system. Weve shown they can have a hand in heart disease. There are even hints that they might play a role in the development of Alzheimers. That makes the new theory about Parkinsonsa disease which, like Alzheimers, features protein buildup and death of brain cellssomewhat less surprising but no less earthshaking. If it proves to be true, it could mean a real cure for Parkinsons in the futureand that cure might be as simple as probiotics.

Can Parkinsons Disease Be Treated With Probiotics

Yes. This has recently been proven. But to what degree will it make a difference? Some laboratory research using probiotics has shown improved brain tissue protection and decreased inflammation among brain tissues. But long-term clinical studies on human subjects have been limited. One study, for example, tested 40 Parkinsons patients with supplementing probiotics for a mere five weeks. But this study was limited to treating their Parkinsons-related constipation.

The researchers reported the probiotics increased their healthy bowel movements.

Besides, it is pretty unlikely that probiotic supplementation for a few weeks will make any significant impact. The condition takes years of progressive damage to brain neurons. These have been associated with toxins and free radical damage within the brain as mentioned above.

The question now is whether a few years of significant probiotic treatment could help decrease the symptoms or at least slow the progression of this condition.

At the very least we know that probiotic supplementation will help the Parkinsons patient improve bowel movement consistency and frequency and possibly eliminate the constipation associated with Parkinsons.

Don’t Miss: Is Parkinson’s Disease Deadly

Probiotic Hope For Parkinson’s Disease

Dr Maria Doitsidou’s lab and colleagues from Dundee University have identified a probiotic or so-called good bacteria which prevents the build-up of a protein which is linked with Parkinsons. These findings have been published in Cell Reports.

In people with Parkinsons, alpha-synuclein protein builds up and forms toxic clumps which are associated with the death of dopamine producing nerve cells. The loss of dopamine is what causes;motor symptoms in Parkinsons.;

Using roundworms, scientists found that a probiotic called Bacillus subtilis could not only protect against the build-up of this protein, but can also clear some of the already formed protein clumps.

These new findings could pave the way for future studies that gauge how supplements such as probiotics impact Parkinsons.;

Home Remedyfor Parkinsons #8 Green Tea:

Probiotics helping Parkinsons disease patients

Green tea contains theanine, a nutrient that increasesdopamine levels in the brain, and polyphenol antioxidants that help fight free radicals. Three separate studies all found that regularlydrinking tea can either delay or prevent the development of PD. A retrospectivestudy also found that drinking three or more cups of tea a day can delay the onsetof motor symptoms. And a 2007 study found that green tea polyphenols protect braincells and dopamine neurons, and this positive effect increases with the moregreen tea consumed. 10

The minimum amount that should be drank every day is 3cups, with 6-9 cups a day being the ideal.Matcha green tea is the most potent and beneficial so try and purchase this ifyou can. A strong cup of coffee first thing in the morning is thought tobe effective for reducing the symptoms of Parkinsons disease as well, however,we recommend you stick with green tea, or even a strong cup of black tea ifyou can for the theanine and EGCGs.;

Also Check: How Can I Help My Dad With Parkinson’s

Data Retrieval And Zotu Picking

Raw reads were downloaded from SRA or the European Nucleotide Archive . Adapters were removed using the bbtools suit. Data were analyzed using Lotus and the UNOISE3 algorithm for zOTUs calculation, bundled in a new Lotus version , currently under development. Due to the technical variability among datasets the filtering parameters used by the sdm program called by Lotus, were adjusted for each dataset independently and are reported in the supplementary materials . For the datasets of Petrov et al. and Weis et al., we had to decrease the accepted minimum error due to the low quality of the sequencing data . 16S-based functional predictions were obtained using the default settings in picrust2 and the Metacyc database. In this analysis, the dataset of Qian et al. was not included, as with the default cutoffs the sequences aligned poorly with the reference database used. Count tables for species, genera, families, and functional predictions were then analyzed using R v3.6.2 and processed using the phyloseq R package. We then retained all samples with >4500 reads, as well as taxa with >5 counts and predicted functionalities with >20 counts in at least 2.5% of the samples. These filtration steps left a total of 1211 and 1121 samples for the taxonomic and predicted-function data, respectively. Enterotypes were predicted using rarefied relative abundances of genera via the web-platform.

Probiotics & Parkinsons Disease

Probiotics refer to foods or nutritional supplements that contain micro-organisms meant to support health. Probiotics therefore make up a very large category of products, including certain yogurts as well as supplements in powder and pill form. You can review the use of probiotics for general health on the NIH website here. Probiotics may work by supporting a healthy balance of micro-organisms in the microbiome, defined as the trillions of microbes that live in the human gut, and possibly by modulating the bodys immune responses.

Recently, there has been concern in medical literature that the explosion of use of probiotics in the general population has outpaced our understanding of the science behind its use. Probiotics have been linked to infection, particularly in people who have compromised immune systems . Despite insufficient scientific data to support its widespread use however, ingestion of probiotics does not typically cause problems in those with normal immune systems.

In two past blogs, I wrote about the complex relationship between the gut and PD and discussed the possibility that the microbiome in patients with PD might be different than those without PD. This has led to a research interest of whether manipulating gut bacteria in PD can be therapeutic.

Don’t Miss: Can Parkinson’s Disease Be Cured

Probiotics And Sperm Count

Related to testosterone levels in men is sperm count and if taking probiotics can increase testosterone levels, it should also increase sperm count.

One study analysed the predominant bacteria in the sperm of 97 men in relation to the quality of their sperm. This study showed that men with good sperm samples had high levels of Lactobacillus, Pseudomonas, Prevotella, and Gardnerella species in their sperm: suggesting that theres a connection between bacteria in the gut and infertility in men.

Symprove Probiotic Use For Motor And Non

“Live with Optimism” – APDA Public Service Announcement

The aim of the research is to investigate whether Symprove can have an impact on Parkinsons symptoms, inflammation and gut microbiota.

60 people diagnosed with Parkinsons aged over 18 years who experience regular;constipation.

If you have previously taken Symprove, regularly use probiotics or have a history of gastrointestinal problems or surgery you will unfortunately;not be able to take part.

Due to the current COVID-19 situation, research visits can be conducted remotely if you would prefer.

If you are happy to, you will be invited to attend 2 visits at Kings College Hospital.

At the first visit you will give consent, complete a number of assessments and questionnaires, be introduced to the research tools and give a blood sample. You will be given either the Symprove product or a placebo to take for 3 months.

Your second visit to Kings will be the end of the research trial.

Also Check: Can Alcoholism Mimic Parkinson’s

Total Sum Scaling And Non

After rarefying without re-sampling at the even depth of 5000, data were normalized by dividing the counts of each taxon for the total counts of all taxa in the sample. Beta-diversity matrices were calculated using the BrayCurtis dissimilarity index and the JensenShannon distances . Statistical differences between control and PD groups were then tested using the permutational multivariate analysis of variance as implemented in the adonis2 function in the vegan R package. DA analysis was performed using a two-sided WMW test, using the BenjaminiHochberg P value correction.

Probiotics For Mood And Mental Health

Sadly mental health problems are common in men, with about one in eight men in the UK having a common mental health problem such as depression, OCD, panic disorder or anxiety. If youre looking for something that can help with your mood and mental wellbeing, probiotics can be an unlikely answer.

Its long been known that theres a connection between the gut microbiome and the central nervous system, called the Gut-Brain Axis: meaning a healthy gut can help to keep your mental health in a good state. Inflammation of the gut and unbalanced gut fauna have been linked to illnesses like anxiety and depression. Probiotics can help to restore the balance of gut fauna, which can help with these mental health issues. In particular, Lactobacillus helveticus and Bifidobacterium longum have been shown to help with brain health and anxiety.

Recommended Reading: Is Parkinson’s Disease A Disability

A Healthy Gut And Parkinsons

Our guts play an important role in absorbing nutrients while keeping out nasty pathogens and protecting us from absorbing other toxins. Good bacteria are important for maintaining the effectiveness of this barrier and our overall gut health. But changes in the types of bacteria living in our gut could lead to a syndrome known as leaky-gut where tiny holes form that may allow material, and potential toxins, to leak through the gut wall into the blood.

So why is this important in Parkinsons? Well, gut problems are common in Parkinsons and researchers have recently discovered that in abnormal clumps of protein, called Lewy bodies, that can be found in gut nervous system and are believed to spread from there to the brain via the vagus nerve. Exactly how and why the clumps start to form is still much of a mystery, but some of the latest research is highlighting the importance of a healthy gut. So rebuilding a healthy community of bacteria in the gut, in theory, may help to protect against Parkinsons and help to combat symptoms.

RELATED ARTICLES

Popular Articles