More Evidence Linking Gut Bacteria to Parkinson’s Disease: A Guide for Patients

http://www.parkinson.org/Patients/Pa...rkinsons-.aspx

The Enterobacteriaceae family of bacteria, with a few exceptions, share the ability to convert nitrates to nitrites...that family of bacteria is lower than normal in PWP and relates to balance and gait issues per the FoxFoundation study posted above.

Coincidentally, this month's issue of Alternatives by Dr. David Williams has a lengthy article about the importance of nitrates. Nitrates are vital because our body needs them to make nitrous oxide, which triggers a vasodilatory action (opens blood vessels, improving circulation, and improving blood pressure) and the enhanced circulation can have profound performance-enhancing effects which is why athletes drink beet juice, among others.

Best sourse of nitrates? Veggies, here's an example from the newsletter:

arugula: 4677 parts per million of nitrates
celery: 1103ppm
beets: 1279pp
hotdogs/processed meats: 10ppm

As for getting more enterobacteriaceae into the gut, which would seem the thing to do if PWP are lower in that bacteria than non PWP, the only way I know of is a fecal transplant....gulp....anyone done that?

We are really trying to incorporate more veggies into our day, starting with a salad in the morning. Of course, that got blown to bits over the holidays, but we are back on it again.

Thanks, badboy and lurkingforacure. So, if I'm piecing things together correctly, does this mean that PDers may have too much of certain bacterias (such as H Pylori, in some cases) and not enough of others (such as Enterobacteriaceae)?

Once you get past the ick factor, the fecal transplant idea is pretty fascinating. I wonder how long the effects would last? If PDers are susceptible to low Enterobacteriaceae, would fecal transplants have to be repeated at intervals to maintain the proper level of bacteria? (Or, am I misunderstanding the causal relationship here?)

I would also be really interested in hearing from anyone who has tried a fecal transplant.