As we all know there is a range of opinion on this subject and there is a case to be made for both ends of the spectrum. I have no desire to disabuse anyone's faith in science or the current research community or anything else. One's belief, whether in alternative or mainstream, gives hope and hope is vitally important. With that disclaimer:

As even a few researchers are beginning to point out, PD research entered a cul-de-sac 30 years ago and little has emerged since. The problem of funding is just one part. The net truth is that there is little hope for a cure in time for us. But it is also true that there is much that offers promise but not profit. No one is going to knock on our neuro's door and give ink pens with "green tea" printed on them.

Another part of the problem is that the majority of the research is focused on the "Standard Model" of PD as "a genetic predisposition combined with an environmental insult" killing dopamine producing neurons in the substantia nigra. That is a simplistic view of a complex problem and it is bottling up research dollars in that cul-de-sac. Why? One possible factor is that the American PD community alone spends about ten billion dollars a year on meds!!!

So, I and others spend hour upon hour combing the Net looking. And there are things that make big differences for me. And they have research behind them, not always from US labs. I recommend nothing, not a doctor, etc. But I consider the following as the most promising:

1) the combo of alpha-lipoic acid and acetyl-L-carnitine and L-carnosine. I have stopped this trio hree or four times in the last few years and each time have been forced to admit it was an error. Restarted and noticed improvement in just days. Because this one is so important I am going to attach a file that is a collection of Medline abstracts.

2) Green tea extracts do so much that it is impossible to cover here but one thing in particular is that they calm down the inflammatory response in our brains that kills the neurons

3) essential fatty acids are proving more and more important. Not only because of their role in brain structure but more importantly, their role in cell signaling, the very essence of our being.

There are others, including the DM, but I will limit myself to these three standouts because they have research to back them, have proven safe and effective, and I have tested them on my own little brain and survived.

There are risks everywhere. Sinemet? Requip? Selegeline? They tell us they tested each one and found it safe. They don't make a point of the fact that the testing was only weeks or months, that a lot of people had bad experiences, and that they never tested them together. I take all three. Now THAT"S a white rat!

-Rick