T
he primary neurotransmitters that govern most of the body’s functions are serotonin and dopamine. These two neurotransmitters act as a system to inhibit or increase the flow of information in the nervous system. Tryptophan or 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is usually used to affect serotonin levels in the brain. Research has shown that in order to increase dopamine levels in the brain, either tyrosine or an extract from a bean called mucuna pruriens are most useful. In this post we will discuss mucuna pruriens – what it does, what’s its good for and what you need to watch out for when using it.
Mucuna pruriens – a natural form of L-dopa
Mucuna pruriens is a legume that grows in the tropics. In its natural state the bean contains about 3% to 6% L-dopa. (1, 2) L-dopa is a precursor to dopamine; therefore, the naturally occurring L-dopa in mucuna pruriens can be transported across the blood-brain-barrier into the brain where it can be readily converted to dopamine.
What is Mucuna pruriens good for?
Mucuna pruriens has been used extensively for those with Parkinson’s disease, both with and without conventional medications. (1,3,4,5) It has also been used in clinics across the country as a dopamine source for those with depression, anxiety, ADD/ADHD, insomnia, migraine headaches, obesity, addiction, OCD, bipolar disorder and trichotillomania.
What to watch out for
The amount of L-dopa in Mucuna pruriens varies widely; therefore, only a product that contains a standardized amount of L-dopa should be used. Even amongst standardized products, the lower the amount of L-dopa per capsule the more pills you have to take to achieve a given amount of L-dopa. In addition, quality control varies widely in the supplement market and many products contain chemicals, heavy metals and other adulterants that may be harmful to your health.
We use a Mucuna pruriens product that is standardized to 40% L-dopa, so it contains 120 mg of L-dopa per capsule. To our knowledge, this is the highest amount of any product on the market, allowing you to take fewer pills to achieve desired results. In addition, this product is regularly tested for purity and is only available through trained health care providers. This insures the highest quality control and safety available when a dopamine source is needed.
References:
- HP-200 in Parkinson’s Disease study group. An alternative medicine treatment for Parkinson’s disease: Results of a multicenter clinical trial. J Alt Comp Med 1995; 1:249-55.
- Infante ME, Perez AM, Simao MR, et al. Outbreak of acute toxic psychosis attributed to Mucuna pruriens. Lancet 1990;336:1129.
- Nagashayana N, Sankarankutty P, Nampoothiri MRV, et al. Association of l-DOPA with recovery following Ayurveda medication in Parkinson’s Disease. J Neurol Sci 2000;176:124-7.
- Vaidya AB, Rajagopalan TG, Mankodi NA, et al. Treatment of Parkinson’s disease with the cowhage plant-Mucuna pruriens Bak. Neurol India 1978;26:171-6.
- Katzenschlager R, Evans A, Manson A, et al. Mucuna pruriens in Parkinson’s disease: a double blind clinical and pharmacological study. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2004;75:1672-77.
i have been pulling out my hair for many of years and would like to stop ,but the urge will not let me.i fail to believe i have a disorder that i dont want to discuss with anyone else but a therapist or counselar PLEASE GET BACK TO ME ON WHAT I SHOULD DO
Hi Christina,
Thanks for reaching out. We have found that the urge to pull is directly linked to an imbalance in brain chemicals called neurotransmitters; this can be corrected, which will eliminate the urge to pull. Please give us a call and set up an initial phone consultation so we can further discuss your history and goals; this will allow me to make the best recommendations for you. The initial consultation is just $60.
Be sure and look around on this blog, as it contains a wealth of information about our approach as well as numerous people that have eliminated the urge to pull. If you have any questions, let me know.
I look forward to speaking with you!
Sincerely,
Dr. Chad
Hi, I’ve been pulling my hair out since the second grade & I’m almost 40 now. I’ve found it definitely gets worse with stress & Celexa (10mg) a very lose dose, & 150mg Wellbutrin have been a good combination for me, but all brains & bodies are different. I’ve also tried NAC (vitamin? Amino acid?) reccomendes to me by a hair extension lady who has a lot of clients who have this affliction. I’m not a doctor, so please use my experiences as ideas & discuss with your doc. Thanks for the new tip I will check it out! Also, Trich is genetic so it’s not like you did anything wrong; it’s like obsessive nail biting. You’re not crazy. 🙂 Anyone is welcome to email me privately if you have any tips or questions. Thanks doc!
Hi Morgain – thanks for the comment. You bring up a very good point – “all brains and bodies are different” – which means that every single person requires a different balance of amino acids to optimize neurotransmitter function. This is why working with a provider that is experienced in the therapeutic use of amino acid therapy is so important to overall success.
Thanks again for sharing your experience –
Sincerely,
Dr. Chad
Is Mucuna used in the treatment of Celiac disease or for Lupus? And if so, why? Thank you. Sr. Marie
Hi Sr. Marie,
Thanks for your comment/question. Mucuna is often necessary to work with the neurotransmitter imbalances associated with inflammatory bowel diseases, especially Crohn’s disease. It is known that there is a genetic mutation associated with Crohn’s disease that causes serotonin toxicity in the bowel which necessitates catecholamine precursors (like the L-dopa in mucuna) to achieve proper neurotransmitter function.
Here is an article that goes into a little more detail if you’d like more information: https://neurosupport.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/06-stein-et-al-amino-acid-responsive-crohns.pdf –
Hope this helps!
Sincerely,
Dr Chad
My daughter is taking neuro-replete, cys-replete, and D5 Mucuna 40%, and recently has had a change in her sense of taste. Everything tastes bitter (for the past 3 days) and she does not want to eat. She has a chronic illness (lyme/toxic mold) and has been sick for a long time now. She has lost 6 lbs in the past month and a half and did not have weight to lose (5’7″ and 100lbs or less), so this not wanting to eat is going to cause further weight loss for her. What could be causing food to taste bitter? Does it have to do with her dose? (4 neuro-repletes, 3 cys-repletes, and 12 D5 Mucuna 40% per day). Her doctor has not responded to my email or my two phones calls today, so I am trying to figure out if I should be concerned or not.
Thanks for any help!
Kim Gomez
Hi Kim,
The amino acids may be affecting her appetite; you would need to have further DBS testing completed to determine if her amino acid dosing is optimized properly. I have not heard of a change in taste using the amino acids. If we can be of further assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Sincerely,
Dr. Chad
I have/had the bitter taste at times too. It happens when mucin is increased.
Hi Sandy,
Thanks for the comment; this is not uncommon. Many people find that adding the Mucuna to juice of some kind (or a smoothie) helps. If this doesn’t help, or if the bitter taste is associated with nausea or gastrointestinal upset of any sort, you should work with your health care provider to modify the balance between serotonin and dopamine, as this is likely the culprit.
Good luck!
Dr. Chad
My mom is 88 and is taking sys replete, neuro replete and begun mucin a d-5
yesterday. She has a dementia and her neurologist is prescribing all of this.
She is taking it go 5 weeks but her memory is not getting better
And is becoming physically weak.
What are your thoughts?
Thank you,
Bella
Hi Bella – thanks for the comment/question. It is not uncommon for it to take 4-9 months to optimize a person’s neurotransmitter function, and that’s assuming her health care provider is well versed/trained in the use of amino acid therapy. You could always get a second opinion by contacting NeuoroResearch to find another provider: http://www.neurosupport.com.
Good luck!
Sincerely,
Dr. Chad
Hi,
I am getting good results during the day for Parkinsons. But must take the mucuna every 2 hours, I am currently using 60g per day and I still need to cover the night with additional doses. looks like I will need a additional 18g to cover the night. Currently I am experiencing lack of sleep and RLS
Any ideas?
Regards,
Brad
Hi Brad,
Thanks for contacting. There are many possible explanations and ways to address this, but I’d need to collect quite a bit more information before offering any kind of useful recommendations. Please give us a call and set up a phone or Skype consultation so I can collect the information I need and get you on the right path.
I look forward to speaking with you –
Sincerely,
Dr. Chad
Hi, I am suffering restless leg syndrome and ‘d like to know if your protocol will be helpful to control my restless leg symptoms. Do you have cases like restless leg syndrome to treat and what is your successful rate?
Hi Chen,
Thanks for your inquiry; restless leg syndrome is thought to be a dopamine dominant disorder that typically responds very well to nutritional therapy, including amino acid therapy. I’d need some more information about your health history and current supplement/medication status to make any recommendations, but if you’d like to discuss your options and potentially get started, please contact us at [email protected] or give us a call – 608-274-7044.
I look forward to speaking with you –
Sincerely,
Dr. Chad