Kathie, Mestinon is a cholinesterase inhibitor (CI). I found out in 2007 after trying to stop chocolate and getting weaker, that caffeine is a CI too. Then I began having one cup of coffee daily and it's amazing how that helped. Yeah, it can put you into dopamine/serotonin highs and lows but it does help with MG and I'm not giving it up!

So, both Mestinon and caffeine inhibit the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE) whose daily job it is to mop up after acetylcholine (ACh) is done with its job of making your muscles stronger. It keeps too much acetylcholine from building up and making "normal" people weak but MGers want ACh to build up temporarily, however.

Mestinon inhibits that enzyme so that we can use our muscle gas longer. Caffeine, to some unknown degree, can do that too. So you'd only have to be cautious of having too much, losing the benefit of it and getting weaker. They are NOT treatments for MG, however, and you should always report an increase in weakness to your neuro!

The nightshade foods (potato, tomato, eggplant, tobacco, peppers) do that too. That's why they are often listed as being contraindicated in MG.

Sugar is toxic. Yeah, I'm pretty extreme when it comes to that topic. It wreaks havoc on the immune system and can cause cancer. If you can find a form of chocolate that doesn't have sugar, like in a health food store, that would be much better. Dip a banana in sugar-free cocoa powder. Then you get potassium and chocolate.

Here's the old caution thread.

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread80534.html

I hope that helps.


Annie