In part, Hinz et al. base their case against carbidopa on the 328.7% increase in PD death rates between 1976 and 2011, 1975 being the date of introduction of carbidopa as a PD therapy (as part of Sinemet). Furthermore, they report that between 1958 and 1975 PD death rates declined and that this was attributed to the introduction of levodopa.

At a first glance, the data appears to present a strong case that the increase in mortality rates has been caused by carbidopa. But, in my opinion, additional data that the authors supply weakens the case considerably.

The authors include a graph (Figure 2, white males age 65 and over) that shows an increase of 311% in PD death rate between 1981 and 2010. So, most of the increase occurred years after the introduction of carbidopa. This suggests that the increase was not due to a delayed response to the migration of patients from plain levodopa to levodopa/carbidopa.

A feature of the graph is that, as far as I can "eye-ball" it, the death rate increased in 27 of the 30 years. It is difficult to see how the almost year on year increase can be attributed to the introduction of cabidopa 6 years before the start of the sequence.

Reference

[1] "The Parkinson’s disease death rate: carbidopa and vitamin B6"
Hinz M., Stein A., Cole T.
Clinical Pharmacology: Advances and Applications
follow the link provided by BreezyRacer

John

Gerry
Have you had the opportunity to be treated by Dr Hinz directly? If so has he ever touched on genetic testing or methylation or gut treatments for PD?

No, I recently changed to his associate, Alvin Stein. MD. They pretty much stick to the protocol.

Just a short but I think meaningful update ..

Since I added TMG (a methyl donor supplement) I have noticed that the bright yellow urine that you get from vitamin B2 has gone away. This leads me to conclude that the B2 must now be getting absorbed/used.

I'm going back to the usual 100 mg of B2 after having trimmed it back a bit a week or two ago.

A quick but important update or two for anyone following along. This last week I found myself perhaps being overmethylated, or perhaps just too much methylfolate .. I am not sure.

For a few nights sleep was extremely broken up and poor, and then I found every little pain I've ever had from old injuries, etc. It made for a very uncomfortable period.

In answer to this, I have curtailed all methylfolate for a period, to where I feel I should add some back in. I also did the same with TMG but I am not sure that I need to. I am instead, working on getting folate from food and working back into it.

Interestingly, my tremor (the main thing that taking methylfolate helped a lot) is still very small but after about 4 days off these it's starting to come back just a bit .. and more when in stress. I imagine I'll be back on the methylfolate or TMG within a few days. There is a fine line, it seems, once you get beyond overcoming the initial deficiencies.

In other news, I got my genetic tests back and it seems that I have the MTHFR mutation big time, from both parents, as well as some other genes that express to parkinsons the symptoms I've been experiencing, included the REM sleep thing. I'm a bit overwhelmed in looking over the results. It's complex and deep.

Hi Breezyracer
Sorry to hear your genetic test results are indicative of causing your problems. That's difficult information to deal with but from what I've read of your previous posts by now you'll have absorbed this, be researching like mad, and be looking forward to solutions.

If you're still feeling down about the news maybe a little 'time-out' might help.
Go do something you really love doing or visit somewhere or someone you haven't seen for a while just to get your head in a different space.

Apologies for not getting back sooner - was out of town for a while and computer hard drive packed up so am still catching up on old posts (started at oldest and working my way up to latest) so you may have posted up ahead on another thread. Will keep following.

Hey Breezyracer, I too have been having amazing results with high doses of allithiamine along with other b vitamins and supplements. Have you looked into heavy metal detoxification, liposomal glutahtione, and supplementing with zinc?

Hi Alexander

I'm glad to hear that this is working for you! As per my last posts I have stepped away from B2 every day. I guess you would say I've only taken about 100 mg in the last month. Also on the allithiamine, I have cut back too .. things have been going quite well and I hate the taste of that pill. Poor reason I know ..

I have had a little bit of tremor working it's way back in and I'm now picking up on the B2 and Allithiamine again, but still not daily. For a few months I was completely asymptomatic. I'm still very good.

As for cause, I'm pretty sure that I have had an intestinal imbalance for the last decade and a half or so. There are a number of bacteria that consume B vitamins .. H pylori and candida for sure. So I'm SPECULATING that my core B vitamins (B1 and B2 mainly) were being depleted in my intestines. Why would that matter? Well it seems that many organs in your body store small amounts of these within the organs and that MIGHT include the brain and definitely includes the liver. As per the reasoning behind the Brazil study that got me going in this direction, B2 in the liver is needed to neutralize hemin, an otherwise toxic ingredient in red meats. It's what gives meat the red color and if you eat rare meats like I did I think your more exposed to hemin. And BTW, hemin does cross the BBB.

I have had luck with caprylic acid for candida and recognized a big change with it in just a few days of intensive treatment. I having to go back now and use it occasionally again with more subtle but meaningful results. Also I'm big on Parmigiano Reggiano cheese which has a high amount of a particular bacteria that fights all of the bad bacteria .. Lactobacillus rhamnosus.

I did let these treatments slide after my GP suspected that perhaps my pramipexole was causing more problems than it solved .. particularly my sleep issues, which is why I was taking it .. RLS. While RLS does bother me now, about 1 time a week I have been able to stay off the prami. And those nights are nothing as bad as it was in the past.

My GP did refer me to a neuro but my appt is still a month or so away. It takes forever to see a good one and I'm seeing the best. Should be interesting.

I hope this helps Alexander!