In the United States, at least 500,000 people have Parkinson's disease, though the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke notes that the number could be higher. The symptoms of Parkinson's disease usually start after age 50 and affects both men and women, according to MedlinePlus. The neurological disorder results from problems with the neurotransmitter dopamine, causing difficulty with movement.
Mechanism
Parkinson's disease stems from damage to the cells in the brain that produce dopamine. With Parkinson's disease, you have a 60 to 80 percent destruction of dopamine-producing neurons in the substantia nigra, an area of the brain involved in dopamine production, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. The significant decrease in dopamine causes problems with communication between the brain and muscles, leading to problems with movement and muscle function. While rare, Parkinson's disease can affect children, who have less dopamine-sensitive nerves.
Symptoms
The drop in dopamine in the brain causes the symptoms of Parkinson's disease, which progresses gradually. You may have symptoms on one side of your body or both sides of your body. Parkinson's disease has four main symptoms: balance problems, bradykinesia, tremors and rigidity. With the balance problems, you may fall easily. Bradykinesia is the slowing of movements, which can impair your ability to perform every day tasks. The rigidity of Parkinson's disease results in contracted muscles, causing jerky movements. With the tremor, your hand or foot goes in a back and forth movement; the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke notes that the rate of this movement is four to six beats a second.
Medication
Medication that targets dopamine may improve the symptoms of Parkinson's disease. One medication is levodopa, which your brain uses to make dopamine. Your doctor may tell you to take carbidopa with levadopa, which is a medication that prevents the conversion to dopamine from occurring outside of the blood-brain barrier. The dopamine molecule is too large to cross the blood-brain barrier, but levadopa can cross this barrier, which regulates what enters the brain, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Dopamine agonists are another option, which act like dopamine. Other options include COMT inhibitors and MAO-B inhibitors, which interfere in the break down of dopamine.
Dietary Changes
Changes in your diet can help with dopamine, thus improving the symptoms of Parkinson's disease. For example, a diet low in protein can help how effectively your body uses levodopa and carbidopa. Certain dietary supplements may increase dopamine levels. Dietary supplements such as cytidinediphosphocholine and NADH, a type of vitamin B-3, may increase dopamine levels. The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends 5 mg of NADH a day, and notes 400 mg of cytidinediphosphocholine three times a day helps decrease the amount of levadopa you take. Before starting any supplements for Parkinson's disease, consult your doctor.
Considerations
No cure exists for Parkinson's disease, and medications or supplements that increase dopamine levels will not permanently treat symptoms. MedlinePlus notes that at certain times in the day, the effectiveness wears off and your symptoms can return. The University of Maryland Medical Center adds that results on the effectiveness of NADH for Parkinson's disease is mixed.
