What supplements may help Parkinson's disease?

Short Answer: Several supplements have preliminary evidence for Parkinson's: CoQ10 (mitochondrial support), NAC (glutathione precursor), curcumin (anti-inflammatory), and high-dose thiamine (B1). None are proven treatments.

Evidence Level: preliminary

Detailed Answer

Parkinson's disease involves mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and alpha-synuclein aggregation. Supplements targeting these mechanisms include: CoQ10 — a mitochondrial electron carrier; high-dose trials (1200-2400mg/day) showed trends toward slowing decline but the Phase III QE3 trial was stopped for futility. N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) — raises brain glutathione (depleted in PD); a small trial showed improved DAT-SPECT binding. Curcumin — inhibits alpha-synuclein aggregation in vitro; enhanced bioavailability formulations are needed. High-dose thiamine (B1, 2-4g/day IM) — multiple open-label studies by Costantini et al. show motor improvement. Omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D are associated with lower PD risk epidemiologically. All supplements should complement, not replace, dopaminergic medication.

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