Stress is the source of aging. Aging is the decline of efficiency and function in the body. As function declines, this will eventually lead to change in form and function in the body. This will result in degeneration, disease, aging, and breakdown. Parkinson's Disease is a form of accelerated aging.

Parkinson's is a disease that is characterized by an overall loss of motor control, characterized by high-speed tremors that are the most visible and obvious sign of Parkinson's. Many people who end up with Parkinson's Disease begin to show symptoms at about age 60. Other problems in Parkinson's are loss in cognition, sexual problems, and other major problems that accelerate aging by increasing the cascade of events that lead to further and further breakdown.

The major problem considered with Parkinson's is the degeneration of the dopamine system, leading to lowered dopamine levels. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that plays a key role in body movement and motor control. Thus dopamine levels, when abnormally low, due to degeneration of the dopamine system in the brain, leads to the loss of motor control and other conditions associated with Parkinson's.

Dopamine, along with the neurotransmitter norepinephrine and the hormone epinephrine, are part of a system called the catecholamine system. These three play a role in motor control, so enhancing the catecholamine system is a method to reduce Parkinson's symptoms and improve overall health.

Dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine attach to cell sites called receptors. Receptors are structures contained by cells that help neurotransmitters and hormones attach to the cell and send their messages into the cells. The following is from Harper's Biochemistry, "The fluidity of a membrane (the walls of a cell) significantly affects its functions. If the protein (these three are made from amino acids-hence they are protein structures) is involved in a transport function (such as the transport of neurotransmitters into the cell), in which transport components span the membrane, lipid (fats) phase affects (such as increased cell membrane fluidity) may significantly alter the transport rate (Ref. Robert K. Murray, MD, Ph.D., Daryl K. Granmer, MD, Peter A. Mayes, Ph.D., D.Sc., Victor W. Fodwell, Ph.D.,Harper's Biochemistry, 25th Edition,. Appleton & Lance, Stanford, Connecticut, 2000, Page 512.)" The more rapid transport of neutrotransmitters and hormones inside cells, the more efficient they are likely to be. This can be achieved by increasing fluidity inside the cell, to help make transport easier.

A better transport rate may improve improves the efficiency of neurotransmitters and hormones that send signals into cells. Improving the efficiency of the neurotransmitters and hormones of the catecholamine system, will help conserve them. This will help keep levels of dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine at more optimum levels by conserving them. Thus altered function with changes in fluidity can help improve the catecholamine system.

Furthermore, from Harper's Biochemistry, "As the concentration of unsaturated fatty acids in the membrane is increased (by growing cultured cells in a medium rich in such molecules) fluidity increases." This alters the receptor so that it may bind more of the catecholamine neurotransmitters.

Unsaturated fatty acids have tails with kinks, and the more kinks in the tails, the less tightly packed and therefore more fluid. Saturated fatty acids have straight tails and this is why they are less fluid than unsaturated fats.

Eating high quality fats produces more fluid cell membranes. Improving fluidity can improve messages transmitted throughout cells, which can help increase efficiency of the catecholamines at the cell receptor sites. Also, the more fluid cell membranes the greater may be the functioning ability of the catecholamine to bind at receptor sites. The essential fatty acids are fats you must obtain from your nutrition. These are called the omega fatty acids and they are considered high quality fats.

Special Note - "It has been estimated that more than a million macromolecules per minute are transported between the nucleus (center of the cell) and the cytoplasm (the interior of the cell outside of the nucleus) in the active euharyotic (cells in humans). You can see the importance of maintaining proper fluidity into and out of cells, as well as back and forth inside cells. Just the transport involving the nucleus of the cell can have a million transports per minute! (Harper's Biochemistry, Page 515.)

Dr. Bob was a MD internal medicine, orthomolecular doctor, MD psychiatrist, chiropractor, and healer 65 years. He was a diabetic who lived to 108 years with only 1 side effect 2 years before he passed away. Dr. Bob practiced a system of medicine called orthomolecular medicine. It is a system of medicine that uses mainly natural substances that are non-toxic and safe in wide range of doses. It uses mainly herbs and minerals/vitamins.

The following orthomolecular ideas are to help improve the fluidity of cell membranes, which can help reduce Parkinson's symptoms and help to improve overall health.

Dr Bob advised supplementing 1 tablespoon in the AM and PM of Udos Oil. Udo's oil is a fatty acid supplement that supplies omega 3, omega 6, and omega 9 oils, as well as cofactors to help the oils work better. The company Flora makes Udo's. In selecting a fatty acid supplement, the manufacturing and transportation aspects have to be flawless. The ratio of omega 3 to omega 6 is about 2 parts omega 3 oil and 1 part omega 6. Although science is busy determining if a 3-1 or even 4-1 ratio of omega 3 to omega 6 are the proper levels, Dr. Bob advised that Udo's oil at 2-1 omega 3 to omega 6, in combination with a normal diet, would increase the ratio to about 3-1 including food, falling within the realm of current science. You can also supplement equal amounts of pumpkin seed oil and flax oil, or borage and flax, instead of Udo's oil, according to Dr. Bob. Dr. Bob also advised to supplement at the same time with Udos Oil, vitamin B3 no flush niacin, vitamin B6, dry vitamin E, alpha lipoic acid, and inositol powder.

Dr. Bobs orthomolecular method for Parkinson's disease:

1. Supplement 1 tablespoon AM and PM of Udos Oil made by Flora, or combine pumpkin and flax oil or borage-flax oil, in a 1-1 ratio, i.e., supplement 1 tablespoon of the combination of pumpkin-flax oil, in AM and PM.

2. Supplement inositol hexanicotinate, no flush niacin, 375 mg in the AM and PM. This is a form of niacin that has no flush. Niacin increases the permeability of cell membranes, which can improve the absorption of Udos oil or borage and flax oil, in a 1 to 1 ratio.

3. Supplement 400 I.U. of dry E in the AM and PM. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that repairs damage in fats. Oxidation processes can destroy the quality of fats in membranes. Vitamin E repairs oxidized fats. Additionally, Parkinson's is considered a degenerative disease of the brain; in particular one part of the brain called the Substania Nigra. The brain is mainly composed of fat and vitamin E repairs fat, so vitamin E is an important antioxidant in the brain. Vitamin E can help protect the brain in Parkinson's.

4. Supplement 300mg AM and PM of sustained release alpha lipoic acid. Do not exceed this dose. Alpha lipoic acid is an antioxidant in fats and water. Thus alpha lipoic acid can offer protection to the brain as an antioxidant. Also, alpha lipoic acid can help improve nerve function. The nerves are surrounded by fats and alpha lipoic acid can help nutrients work better in fats. This will help to process fatty acids better, which will make the catecholamine system more efficient.

5. Supplement a B-50 in the AM and PM. The B vitamins work better in combination with each other.

6. Supplement 100-mg vitamin B6. B6 controls water permeability, which can make it easier for proteins to be transported in cells. If you supplement the B-50, then do not supplement the B6.

7. Supplement an excellent multivitamin and mineral. Dr. Bob advised the brand Maxilife. Nutritional supplementation needs a multi to supply cofactors.

In conclusion, Parkinson's Disease is a disease of accelerated aging. Therefore, there is no magic bullet cure. Instead each element of stress from Parkinson's Disease must be addressed and an attempt made to neutralize the problem. In this article, the attempt to improve receptor sites for the catecholamines is one aspect of anti-aging and helping to improve overall health in Parkinson's Disease. A low level of catecholamines, such as abnormal low levels of dopamine, as in Parkinson's Disease, is stress to the body. Improving receptor sites improves the efficiency of the catecholamine system, which will help conserve dopamine, which can decrease stress from Parkinson's Disease.


Note – In order for these anti-aging ideas to be successful, you must use supplements of the highest quality. Dr. Bob often said, "almost all supplement companies produce poor quality." You can consider the product page of this web site. Almost all the products met Dr. Bob’s approval. Since he passed away we have attempted to keep the same high standards.

WARNING:  DO NOT STOP ANY TREATMENT OR MEDICATION YOU CURRENTLY USE.  CONSULT WITH YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE STARTING THE USE OF SUPPLEMENTS. 

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The Food and Drug Administration has not evaluated any of the statements contained on this web site. The information contained in this article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Remember each person's body is different and will react differently to various herbal, vitamin and mineral supplements. Therefore, any supplementation must be administered on an individual basis. Use the information found on this web site as precisely that: Information. You and your doctor must make any final decisions. This information is not meant to replace any doctor and patient consultation. This information should in no way replace your personal physician's advice.