• Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Insights
  • FAQ
Menu

Out-Thinking Parkinson's

Progressive Symptom Reduction Strategies for Parkinson's Disease
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Insights
  • FAQ

Nutritional and Genetic Susceptibilities in Parkinson's Disease

March 11, 2017

My colleague David Spry is helping people with Parkinson's Disease get symptomatic relief using nutritional therapies. In particular, he is undertaking extremely careful and holistic research on a nutritional-genetic issue, in which people with a specific gene profile are not only very prone to nutritional deficiencies related to “melthylation” and "folates", but also that this makes them highly susceptible to a wide spectrum of food intolerances. David is revealing the role these issues play in the motor and non-motor symptoms associated with PD, and is demonstrating that, by addressing these, significant improvement can be acheived in the condition of people who have developed Parkinsonism’s in this genetic class. Most importantly, David has pioneered this approach by testing out his conclusions on himself.

While I have long resisted David’s ideas and remained unconvinced for a year, what finally sold it for me was that he identified the role of a “Warrior Gene” and, looking into what this meant, the correlation with my own observations that there is a “Parkinson’s Personality” type common amongst us (high achieving, self-doubt issues, argumentative, stress addicted, and so forth) was obvious to me. Having subsequently listened to what David had say for two hours over the telephone, I was finally convinced.

A couple of weeks ago, I followed David’s bespoke-for-me recommendation to take methyl folate supplementation. Within three days of taking it, I found my symptoms were greatly reduced and found I was walking around the local streets continuously for an hour while between doses of medication (whereas always before I would have to lie down and rest during this stage of my cycle). I also realized my sense of smell had returned. Unfortunately, we are still trying to opimize this strategy for myself, because I seem to have particular issues with vitamin b12 which is an important co-factor (see below).

To manage expectations, David estimates that perhaps half of PD diagnosis could be associated with the particuar nutrional deficiencies/genetic issues and importantly, even if methyl folate helps, the rigourous identification and elimination of problem foods is still all important to the success of this therapeutic pathway. David also suggests taking methylated version of b12 in tandem too is important. However, David always strongly recommends that having the genetic tests done and then working with a good nutritionist or naturopath is also vital.

In regards to the specific populations where these genetic susceptibilities appear, they arise in people with Northern European ancestry and perhaps this could be one reason why North America, Northern Europe and Australisia appear to have higher incidence rates of Parkinson's Disease than many other countries?

David can be found in the Parkinson's Disease Fighters United Facebook Group. Other useful resources for further information about the subject covered in this article include the Parkinson's Genetics MTHFR COMPT MAO and the COMT MAO Support Groups.

In Diet & Supplements, Brain Science, People, Therapies Tags Methylation, Folate, MAO, COMT, Genetics
← A Naturopathic Doctor's Approach to the Treatment of Parkinson's DiseaseThe Overlaps Between Allergic Reactions and Parkinson's Disease →

ABOUT

Out-Thinking Parkinson's
Out-Thinking Parkinson's Research

 Join my Facebook Group

Follow me on substack:

BLOG

  • Re-thinking Movement
  • Digest
  • People
  • Mental Health
  • Diet & Supplements
  • Therapies
  • Toys
  • Exercise
  • Video
  • Assistive Technology
  • Music
  • Biography
  • Brain Science
  • Books
Parkinson's Disease Carousel: Original Articles and Ideas
Jun 6, 2025
Waking Up the Senses and Parkinson's Disease
Jun 6, 2025
Jun 6, 2025
Feb 19, 2025
The Nervous System and Parkinson's Disease
Feb 19, 2025
Feb 19, 2025
Jun 23, 2024
Dopamine Breakdown and Parkinson's Disease: Part 2
Jun 23, 2024
Jun 23, 2024
May 3, 2024
Stuck on Pause with Parkinson's Disease
May 3, 2024
May 3, 2024
Apr 10, 2024
Dopamine Breakdown and Parkinson's Disease: Part 1
Apr 10, 2024
Apr 10, 2024
Jan 2, 2024
Fright and Parkinson's Disease
Jan 2, 2024
Jan 2, 2024
Sep 16, 2023
Acetylcholine, Dopamine and Parkinson's Disease
Sep 16, 2023
Sep 16, 2023
Jul 24, 2023
Sleep and Parkinson's Disease, Part 2
Jul 24, 2023
Jul 24, 2023
Jun 4, 2023
Emotional Armouring and Parkinson's Disease
Jun 4, 2023
Jun 4, 2023
Apr 2, 2023
Histamine, Allergies and Parkinson's Disease
Apr 2, 2023
Apr 2, 2023
Feb 8, 2023
Fascia Decompression and Parkinson's Disease
Feb 8, 2023
Feb 8, 2023
Dec 30, 2022
Lack of Oxygen to the Brain in Parkinson's Disease
Dec 30, 2022
Dec 30, 2022
Dec 13, 2022
Constipation and Parkinson's Disease
Dec 13, 2022
Dec 13, 2022
Oct 19, 2022
The Endocannabinoid System and Parkinson's Disease
Oct 19, 2022
Oct 19, 2022
Jun 29, 2022
The Neck and Parkinson's Disease, Part 2
Jun 29, 2022
Jun 29, 2022
Apr 7, 2022
Thiamine and Parkinson's Disease
Apr 7, 2022
Apr 7, 2022
Feb 18, 2022
Early Retirement and Parkinson's Disease
Feb 18, 2022
Feb 18, 2022
Dec 13, 2021
Feeling Trapped and Parkinson's Disease
Dec 13, 2021
Dec 13, 2021
Nov 4, 2021
Motivation, Pleasure, Pain and Parkinson's Disease
Nov 4, 2021
Nov 4, 2021
Oct 2, 2021
Dopamine Cell Receptors and Parkinson's Disease
Oct 2, 2021
Oct 2, 2021
Aug 15, 2021
Dopamine and Parkinson's Disease
Aug 15, 2021
Aug 15, 2021
Jul 26, 2021
Visual Cues and Parkinson's Disease
Jul 26, 2021
Jul 26, 2021
Jul 10, 2021
The Eyes and Parkinson's Disease
Jul 10, 2021
Jul 10, 2021
Jun 25, 2021
Eye Exercises and Parkinson's Disease
Jun 25, 2021
Jun 25, 2021
Jun 9, 2021
Podcast Therapy and Parkinson's Disease
Jun 9, 2021
Jun 9, 2021
Apr 19, 2021
Relationships and Parkinson's Disease
Apr 19, 2021
Apr 19, 2021
Mar 4, 2021
Sleep and Parkinson's Disease
Mar 4, 2021
Mar 4, 2021
Jan 19, 2021
Cell Danger Response and Parkinson's Disease
Jan 19, 2021
Jan 19, 2021
Dec 8, 2020
Eating Habits and Parkinson's Disease
Dec 8, 2020
Dec 8, 2020
Nov 8, 2020
Shared Experiences and Parkinson's Disease
Nov 8, 2020
Nov 8, 2020

insights

  • Person with PD
  • Caregiver
  • Reader
  • Author
  • Therapist
Testimonials Carousel: What People Say
Mar 13, 2025
Coloring with Parkinson's
Mar 13, 2025
Mar 13, 2025
Nov 28, 2024
Very Encouraging and Refreshing
Nov 28, 2024
Nov 28, 2024
Apr 19, 2024
Stuck on Pause
Apr 19, 2024
Apr 19, 2024
Aug 12, 2023
Photobiomodulation or Red Light Therapy
Aug 12, 2023
Aug 12, 2023
Jul 7, 2022
Tremors Reduced
Jul 7, 2022
Jul 7, 2022
Mar 29, 2022
Accessible Knowledge
Mar 29, 2022
Mar 29, 2022
Oct 19, 2021
Staying Positive
Oct 19, 2021
Oct 19, 2021
Jul 28, 2021
Suggestions for Exploration
Jul 28, 2021
Jul 28, 2021
Jun 20, 2021
Educative Posts
Jun 20, 2021
Jun 20, 2021
Mar 24, 2021
Parallels with Trauma
Mar 24, 2021
Mar 24, 2021
Feb 4, 2021
Correcting Dysfunctional Sleep
Feb 4, 2021
Feb 4, 2021
Oct 27, 2020
REM Sleep Behaviour Disorder
Oct 27, 2020
Oct 27, 2020
Aug 11, 2020
Yoga Therapy
Aug 11, 2020
Aug 11, 2020
Nov 27, 2019
Strategies of Recovery
Nov 27, 2019
Nov 27, 2019
Sep 3, 2019
Applications of Polyvagal Theory
Sep 3, 2019
Sep 3, 2019
May 24, 2019
Hope and Inspiration
May 24, 2019
May 24, 2019
Feb 7, 2019
Headed in the Right Direction
Feb 7, 2019
Feb 7, 2019
Sep 10, 2018
Husband Diagnosed
Sep 10, 2018
Sep 10, 2018
Sep 10, 2018
Making Changes
Sep 10, 2018
Sep 10, 2018
Jun 21, 2018
Craniosacral Therapy
Jun 21, 2018
Jun 21, 2018
May 27, 2018
Music is Medicine
May 27, 2018
May 27, 2018
Apr 26, 2018
Social Isolation
Apr 26, 2018
Apr 26, 2018
Mar 31, 2018
From Malta
Mar 31, 2018
Mar 31, 2018
Mar 6, 2018
Impactful Discoveries
Mar 6, 2018
Mar 6, 2018
Mar 6, 2018
Co-Regulation
Mar 6, 2018
Mar 6, 2018
Feb 6, 2018
Outstanding Information
Feb 6, 2018
Feb 6, 2018
Jan 21, 2018
Slowing Down Progression
Jan 21, 2018
Jan 21, 2018
Oct 25, 2017
Exploring All the Potential Causes
Oct 25, 2017
Oct 25, 2017
Sep 10, 2017
Can-Do Attitude
Sep 10, 2017
Sep 10, 2017
Aug 28, 2017
Connecting the Dots
Aug 28, 2017
Aug 28, 2017

©2017-2024 Gary Sharpe, ©2016 Gary Sharpe and Deb Helfrich

Contact Us

Medical Disclaimer

Website Terms & Conditions