Low Protein Diet For Parkinson's

Parkinson's disease is a progressive disorder affecting the nervous system. It is characterized by muscle rigidity, tremors and changes in speech. As Parkinson's disease worsens, individuals experience trouble walking, talking or doing simple activities. They have trouble with depression, sleep, chewing and swallowing. The cause of Parkinson's disease is not yet known; however, researchers believe that genetics, aging and even toxins may play a part in its development. However, a diet low in protein has been shown to effectively reduce "off" periods for Parkinson's patients.

Parkinson's Disease

Robert Nussbaum and Christopher Ellis in "Alzheimer's Disease and Parkinson's Disease," report that Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder, in which nerve cells in the substantia nigra, a portion of the cerebellum, begin to decrease in number, causing a reduction in the amount of dopamine production. The basal ganglia, a hypothalamus pathway, are thus prevented from modifying the nerve pathways that control muscle contraction. Pathologically, it is characterized by the ubiquitin deposits of 76 amino acids that are present in spinal motor neurons. This means that the protein molecules are altered by attaching an ubiquitin molcecule. The prevalence of Parkinson's disease is approximately 0.5 percent to 1 percent among people aged 65-69, rising to 1 percent to 3 percent among those 80 years and older. Also, it is more common among men than women.

Low Protein Diet

According to "Diet.Com" a low protein diet is one that consists of approximately 0.6 g/kilogram of body weight or 40 percent to 50 percent of daily calories. A low protein diet focuses on obtaining most of an individual's daily calories from complex carbohydrates rather than from protein. This means promoting the consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats and limiting foods such as fish, poultry, eggs, meat and dairy products. Protein is required by the body for growth, upkeep and repair of tissues. They also help the body to fight infections and heal wounds. For this reason, protein should never be completely eliminated from the diet. The amount of protein needed, however, is highly individualized and dependent upon your health status.

On-Off Phenomenon

In "Effect of Daytime Protein Restriction on Nutrient Intakes of Free-living Parkinson's disease Patients," Sara Pare et al. say that the most effective therapeutic treatment for relieving Parkinson's disease symptoms is levodopa, given in association with a dopa decarboxylase inhibitor. Prolonged use is associated with a decline in the efficacy of the drug and the development of motor-response fluctuations. Such fluctuations cause the on-off phenomenon, which is characterized by abrupt and unpredictable oscillations between the on and off states, the good and poor control of Parkinson's symptoms, resulting in a considerable increase in disability. Medical approaches for optimizing clinical management of the on-off phenomenon have not yet proved successful.

Dietary Management of Fluctuations

In the study "Dietary Method for Reducing Fluctuations in Parkinson's Disease," Jonathan Pincus and Kathryn Barry found that when dietary protein was eliminated from breakfast and lunch, fluctuations and non-response to levodopa therapy was lessened. Achievement and maintenance of optimal motor function was consistent until the consumption of protein at the evening meal; after which, most patients resumed typical Parkinson's symptoms. According to Carolyn Gramling in "Low-protein Diet Boosts Treatment," when the effects of a low protein diet and a typical, balanced diet were compared among Parkinson's patients, all subjects experienced fewer "off" periods and averaged about 100 fewer minutes of off time per day.

Potential Outcomes

Dietary protein restriction has permitted Parkinson's patients to achieve smooth response to therapy with markedly improved motor function. In this management of motor oscillations, the low protein diet necessitated a reduction in total levodopa dose and discontinuation of other therapies. Dietary protein interferes with levodopa, decreasing its effectiveness. Thus, protein restriction provides Parkinson's patients with better control and decreased incidence of symptoms.