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Last week I blogged about my recent back injury and how acupuncture boosts GABA to reduce back pain and how oral GABA further reduces the pain<\/a>. Both these interventions have helped me so much and I\u2019m doing so much better.<\/p>\n I love the feedback I receive in the blog comments and the great questions – which get to help the person asking the question and everyone else reading the blog and comments. So thank you if you comment!<\/p>\n I received this lovely feedback about GABA and anxiety, and a question about Parkinson\u2019s disease (on the above blog) and want to share it and my response here so you and families with a loved one with Parkinson\u2019s disease will also have access to this information:<\/p>\n I have loved reading your articles for a long time and listen to you whenever you are on a summit. I have learned a lot. GABA definitely helps me to relax, reduce my monkey mind and sleep better.<\/p>\n My mom has Parkinson\u2019s disease and is very stiff and tight. She hurts often, especially her back. She also has afternoon anxiety, some call it \u201csundowners\u201d. Can she take GABA with carbidopa-levidopa and blood pressure meds? She needs some kind of help!<\/p>\n Thank you in advance for any suggestions you might have to give her any quality of life as right now it is not good and the doctors offer no suggestions beyond possibly more prescriptions.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n I responded saying how glad I was to hear GABA helps her to relax, reduces her monkey mind and also helps her to sleep better and how sorry I was to hear about her mom\u2019s stiffness, pain and anxiety.<\/p>\n I posted this regarding the stiffness and back pain: share this paper with your doctor and get his\/her approval to do a trial of GABA – Parkinson\u2019s Disease and Neurodegeneration: GABA-Collapse Hypothesis<\/a>:<\/p>\n the original description of Parkinson\u2019s disease (PD) as due to the selective damage of dopaminergic neurons in the mesencephalon should be updated into the concept of a severe multisystemic neurodegenerative disorder of the nervous system, whose clinical symptoms reflect the localization and progression of the most advanced GABA pathology. A future and more complete therapeutic approach to PD should be aimed first at slowing (or stopping) the progression of Ca(2+)\/GABA functional decline.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n I have worked with a few people with Parkinson\u2019s disease and GABA has been very helpful for the stiffness and pain, the physical anxiety, easing some of their tremors and helping with insomnia. I always do a trial so we know how much the individual will need.<\/p>\n For someone on blood pressure medication I\u2019d start with a GABA-only product or GABA-theanine product rather than GABA Calm which does contain tyrosine.<\/p>\n I posted this regarding the \u201csundowners\u201d question: I\u2019d share this with your doctor and get the approval to do a trial of tryptophan \u2013 Sundown Syndrome in Persons with Dementia: An Update<\/a><\/p>\n sundown syndrome is characterized by the emergence or increment of neuropsychiatric symptoms such as agitation, confusion, anxiety, and aggressiveness in late afternoon, in the evening, or at night.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Although this paper refers to dementia, these symptoms also happen to be classic low serotonin symptoms that typically respond really well to tryptophan. The paper mentions melatonin as an intervention but since tryptophan converts to melatonin I\u2019d start with tryptophan (based on doing a trial) and then consider adding melatonin too if needed.<\/p>\n I shared a few more resources on Parkinson\u2019s disease:<\/p>\n I also shared this amazing and inspiring video created by physical therapist Anicea Gunlock, on how using music while gait training can be beneficial for those suffering from Parkinsons’s disease<\/p>\n\n
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