Question: I was recently diagnosed with Parkinson's, and so I'm gathering all the information I can find about natural treatments. Can you help?

Dr. Wright: For Parkinson's disease, I usually recommend coenzyme Q10 and vitamin B2. In one study of 80 people with Parkinson's, coQ10 supplementation was shown to reduce the deterioration of function and the degree of disability. The same applies to vitamin B2, also known as riboflavin.

When researchers in Brazil examined a group of 31 Parkinson's patients, they found every single one had a riboflavin deficiency--even though their dietary sources were adequate. To fully explore the link, the researchers asked the patients to stop eating all red meat and to take 30 mg of riboflavin every eight hours.

After just six months, motor capacity had increased nearly 30%. Tests for riboflavin deficiency had also normalized in all patients. Now, it might be hard to give up steak for six months, but when it means you could see such significant improvement, it could be worth trying. And you could go back to it--if you get positive results from riboflavin, you can probably add red meat back to your diet and increase your riboflavin intake.

Related articles of interest:

Common behavior drugs linked to Parkinson's

Prevent Parkinson’s With this Surprise Beverage

Eat These to Lower Your Risk of Parkinson's

Going off Parkinson's drugs like quitting cocaine

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