When Parkinson's disease first shows up, it's very mild. But as time goes by, the symptoms can progress to the point where they are completely incapacitating. If only there was a way to stop the progression of the disease. Well, there is.
Although there are a number of nutrients that must be present in adequate amounts in order for the mitochondria to be working well, perhaps none are more important than coenzyme Q10.
Most Parkinson's patients are very familiar with CoQ10. The fact that it slows the progression of Parkinson's is nothing new.
But I'm going to show you a way to use it to completely stop the progression of Parkinson's.
First, let's look at how CoQ10 works.
As you may know, Parkinson's is a mitochondrial disease. Mitochondria are the energy-producing parts of the cell. Every cell in your body has thousands of mitochondria. As long as the mitochondria are working efficiently, the cells (and you) will have boundless amounts of energy.
But as we get older, mitochondrial efficiency decreases. And as this happens, two things occur.
First, the cells become deprived of energy and we start to function a lot like a flashlight with a weak battery.
Second, poorly functioning mitochondria are the primary cause of the free radical damage that not only causes Parkinson's disease, but every other neurological disease associated with aging.
CoQ10 is essential for the first two phases of mitochondrial energy production called complex I and complex II.
Science Proves Its Effectiveness
Scientists at the University of California in San Diego recently examined the effects of CoQ10 supplements in patients with Parkinson's. They studied 80 patients with early Parkinson's disease. Their symptoms were so mild that none of them needed medication.
The researchers divided them into four groups. One group took 300 mg of CoQ10 each day, one group 600 mg, one group 1,200 mg, and one group took a placebo pill. The researchers then watched what happened over the next 16 months.
At the end of the trial, the patients who received the largest dose of CoQ10 demonstrated an impressive 44% slower rate of decline compared to the placebo group. Even the people getting the smaller doses had less disability than the placebo group. But the benefits were greatest in the 1,200 mg group.
How Much Should You Take?
Now for the easiest way to completely stop the progression of this nasty disease:
I’ve been recommending a daily dose of 2,000 mg of CoQ10 to all of my patients with Parkinson's for several years now. How does it work?
Although I don’t have a double-blind, placebo-controlled study like these researchers, so far in many of my patients this dose has completely stopped the progression of the disease.
You can find high-potency forms of CoQ10 online and in health food stores. Vitaline makes a high-dose product that researchers have used in many studies on Parkinson's disease.
There's another form of CoQ10 called ubiquinol that's better absorbed. Studies show that it's absorbed more efficiently than regular CoQ10. So 50 mg of ubiquinol provides virtually the same high blood levels of CoQ10 as 100 mg of the regular form. If you choose to use this form, you need to take ten soft gels daily to reach the equivalent of 2,000 mg per day of regular CoQ10.