I regularly get calls about Parkinsons disease, a chronic degenerative disease. Parkinsons brings rigidity, tremors, poor coordination, and unsteady gait. Patients get a mask-like face unable to show facial expressions. Until now, there was not any known cure for these terrible symptoms. But now there is strong evidence that the cause — and cure — of Parkinson’s may be related to a simple mineral.
Purdue University recently reported that one cause of Parkinson’s disease is too much manganese. Manganese is an essential mineral. However, like any good thing, too much can be toxic.
Manganese toxicity is common in the 450,000 welders in America. Millions more worldwide are at risk. Miners are also at great risk. One female Chinese mine worker suffered debilitating symptoms. She had lack of coordination, trouble walking and writing. She had a mask-like appearance caused by tense facial muscles.
Instead of giving her the typical Parkinson’s drug levodopa, doctors administered the drug para-aminosalicylic (PAS). Doctors have used PAS for years as a second-line tuberculosis drug. But it now has a major new use.
After receiving PAS, the woman’s symptoms cleared in 1987. She had no further signs of the disease when re-examined during a follow-up examination in 2004. That is 17 years later! Unheard of for Parkinson’s disease! She was not the only one. At least 80 others have also done well.
The mechanism of action is unknown. But we have some clues that are important. Parkinson’s drugs, like levodopa do not improve Parkinson’s patients with manganese exposure. The fact that this one does suggests that there may be reversible causes of Parkinsons. Researchers speculate that the drug may be a specific manganese chelator. If that is so, then could compounds like the chelator EDTA (which removes heavy metals) also do the trick?
No! PAS has one very important property that EDTA lacks. PAS can cross the blood brain barrier. EDTA does not. Manganese seems to be a specific toxin for basal ganglion neurons that control movement. But it may not kill the cells outright. When PAS gets rid of the manganese, it leaves the cells intact and allows them to be restored. PAS might also reduce inflammation, as its similar in structure to aspirin.
Action to take: If you have Parkinson’s disease, please take this information to your chelating physician. I do not care if you lack a history of manganese exposure. There is always the possibility of unknown exposure. You might have an individual hypersensitivity to levels that might not bother your neighbor. You might retain manganese like some people accumulate iron. Perhaps high normal levels can work synergistically with other chemical toxins to damage the sensitive neurons. But with a disease like Parkinson’s, its worth checking. As reported previously CoQ10 (1,200 mg daily) is also helpful.
Ref: Tuberculosis drug PAS may cure Parkinson’s-like illness, Journal of Occupational Environmental Medicine, June 7, 2006, 15:37.