Protandim for Parkinson's?

I'm in a Facebook PD group that was discussing Protandim, an herbal supplement.  A woman who sells the supplement quoted from the company website about "research" that showed this supplement is really amazing: According to the company website, " It's also been shown to reduce oxidative stress in humans by 40% in 30 days."  I looked and looked, but the only studies about Protandim that I could find were in test tubes, in mice, or showed that the supplement didn't do anything in humans. (Research on actual humans: Protein synthesis and runners and alcoholics.)

Finally, I found the abstract for the actual study that the company (LifeVantage) is referring to, from 2006.  (Here's the full paper.) There are just a few things wrong with this study. These include:

• It contains a sales pitch for why the supplement contains these particular herbs and explains that they must be safe because they've been used naturally for a long time.  Since when does a sales pitch belong in a scientific paper?  And safety?  I thought of digitalis, which has been used naturally for centuries, but it would kill many heart patients; "natural" does not mean safe.

• There's no placebo group in this study, so is the result from Protandim or is it just enthusiasm? There is often a placebo effect so it's wise to see if the supplement has a different effect from the placebo.

• The people in the study were ages 20 to 78.  Really?

• Some of the people, though we're not told which ones, are taking other "supplements."  We're not told what supplements they are taking, either.  Could this have influenced any of the results?

• The text says there are 19 males and 10 females.  Group 1, which got a full dose, had 20 people in it.  Group 2, which got a half dose, had 4 people in it.  Why is it that the researchers don't tell us the mix of ages for each group, which genders were in each group, or how people were chosen for either group?

• This is the best part: they had data on 29 people and refer to the 29 repeatedly in the text and illustrations.  But group 1 (N=20) + group 2 (N=4) = 24, not 29.  What happened to the other 5?  Their data didn't work out?  The researchers don't say.

• Out of 5 authors, 2 are associated with the manufacturer of Protandim.  In fact, one is just associated with the manufacturer, not with any research institution.  What is he doing here?

• One of the authors is also on the editorial board of the journal.  Possible conflict of interest?  Considering that elementary math was overlooked, this article doesn't look like anybody subjected it to even a basic review, never mind a rigorous peer review (which, frankly, should have caught all these issues).

Does all this mean Protandim is bad? No. Not at all.  What it means is that nobody can tell. 

So far, there are no studies of Protandim and Parkinson's, so we don't know if it's safe for pwp, never mind if it's effective.



Image from Pixabay.

Finding a PD physical therapist

I just found out a way to find a physical therapist who knows about Parkinson's in the US.  Thanks to Dr. Ryan Duncan, who presented at the Davis Phinney Victory Summit on 8/10/2018.

Use the website MoveForwardPT.com, from the American Physical Therapy Association.  Select the zip code or city/state.  This will give you a list of all physical therapists in your area, but only some of them will have experience working with PD.  So then from the list of specialties choose Neurological - which includes PD.

For more about why you would want a physical therapist, see: https://parkiesupport.blogspot.com/2018/02/physical-therapy-individualized-help.html

Driving with Parkinson's

It's ugly.  One woman posts on a forum that she can only brake if she pushes her leg against the side of the console between the two front seats; should she be driving, she wonders.  For the sake of other people, and herself, I hope she does not.

We lose capabilities over time with PD - sometimes muscular strength (so we can brake in an emergency), sometimes flexibility (so we can turn around to back up safely, and can move our foot from accelerator to brake).  And then there is my personal favorite, multi-tasking (so we can keep track of everything happening around us, keep the car in our lane, keep track of traffic signals, keep track of cars pulling in...)

If we're smart we recognize that some kinds of driving are too challenging, and don't do them - maybe stop driving at night, or when the traffic is heavy, or on highways.  We all know what has become harder.

Many days, for me, getting in and out is the hardest.  Yes, I've practiced pivoting in a chair, but that doesn't have the d**n door in the way! 

AARP has a Safe Driver Course, available to anyone, but less expensive for members; you can take it in person or online. https://www.aarpdriversafety.org/   Although it's oriented to older folks (and though I sure don't feel old, I am one of those older folks), it also looks at disability and the decision to continue driving.

Here's what they cover:

The AARP Smart Driver online course covers:

• Research-based safe driving strategies.
• Information on the effects of medication on driving.
• Preventive measures to reduce driver distractions.
• Proper use of safety belts, air bags, anti-lock brakes, and new technology found in cars today.
• Techniques for handling left turns, right-of-way, and roundabouts.
• State-specific rules and regulations in 19 key areas, including construction zones, child safety seats, school buses, cellphone use and more.
• Easy-to-follow format incorporating adult-learning principles.

I recently took the course.  I've taken it before (it changes regularly, so much of the course was new).  I wanted strategies that would help me be a safer driver, which was part of the focus of the course.  I've recently retired, so no longer have to drive in snow or sleet  - that means I can avoid driving in challenging weather - hallelujah!  I already avoid night driving and heavy traffic.  Highway driving is exhausting, so I avoid that, too.  I spend time plotting alternate routes so I can avoid challenges.

My husband does the highway driving for us.  I looked into the local Dial-a-Ride, and I've installed the Uber app on my phone, just in case I need it - not cheap, but neither is an accident.  The AARP course also helped me see how much the car is costing (repairs, gas, insurance, taxes...), which makes the alternatives look less expensive.

Each pwp is different.  Some can drive anywhere, any time.   Some can't.  Some will never have to give up driving, but some of us will. We all need to look at this - all of us.

Image from Pixabay