Recent research has identified six promising probiotics—beneficial live bacteria commonly used in dietary supplements to aid digestion—that may potentially be used to complement standard treatments for Parkinson’s disease.
The findings come from a study published in the Journal of Future Foods, which explored how these probiotics could help improve gut health and even boost the production of certain neurotransmitters, which are vital for communication between nerve cells.
What is Parkinson’s Disease?
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder that mainly affects movement. One of the main challenges in treating Parkinson’s is the loss of dopamine, a key neurotransmitter that plays a central role in motor control. As nerve cells that produce dopamine gradually die, people with Parkinson’s experience motor symptoms like tremors, stiffness, and difficulty with balance and coordination.
The standard treatment for Parkinson’s disease involves medications such as levodopa, which increases dopamine levels in the brain. While levodopa is highly effective at alleviating symptoms, it’s far from perfect. It can have several side effects, and unfortunately, only a small amount of the medication—less than 10%—actually reaches the brain. This is because much of the levodopa gets converted into dopamine in the gut, where it cannot help with brain function.
This is where probiotics may come into play. The six strains of probiotics identified in this new study could help support a healthier gut environment, possibly improving the effectiveness of levodopa and reducing its side effects. By influencing the gut-brain axis—a two-way communication network between the gut and brain—these probiotics might not only boost digestive health but also have an impact on the brain and nervous system.
The Role of the Gut in Parkinson’s
In recent years, researchers have begun to uncover a strong connection between gut health and neurological diseases like Parkinson’s. A key factor in this relationship is the gut microbiome, which is the collection of all the bacteria and other microorganisms living in the digestive system. Dysbiosis, or an imbalance in these gut bacteria, has been linked to many health problems, including inflammation and neurological disorders.
In the case of Parkinson’s, research suggests that an unhealthy gut microbiome might contribute to disease progression. Specifically, an imbalanced microbiome may lead to increased inflammation and other harmful effects that could worsen the disease’s symptoms. Restoring a healthy gut microbiota, on the other hand, could help regulate the gut-brain axis, potentially improving both digestive and neurological health.
In this study, researchers collected fecal samples from three groups: people diagnosed with Parkinson’s, individuals at risk for developing the disease, and healthy participants. From these samples, they screened hundreds of bacterial strains to find those that could meet specific probiotic criteria, ensuring that the bacteria were safe and potentially beneficial for human use.
Probiotics That Produce Key Neurotransmitters
After screening 855 different bacterial strains, the researchers identified 23 that met their probiotic criteria. They further narrowed it down to six bacterial strains that stood out for their potential to help with Parkinson’s disease. These six strains were identified using a method called 16S rRNA sequencing, which analyzes the genetic material of bacteria to determine their identity and characteristics.
One of the key reasons these six strains were so promising is their ability to produce certain neurotransmitters that are reduced in people with Parkinson’s. The study specifically looked at the production of GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) and serotonin, both of which play crucial roles in regulating mood, movement, and other neurological functions. In Parkinson’s, levels of these neurotransmitters can be significantly lower, contributing to both motor and non-motor symptoms like depression and anxiety.
In addition to producing GABA and serotonin, the probiotics were also found to generate short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). These are fatty molecules with anti-inflammatory properties that are usually found at lower levels in people with Parkinson’s. SCFAs help to maintain a healthy gut environment, and their production could be beneficial in managing the inflammation and other gut-related issues seen in Parkinson’s patients.
Compatibility with Levodopa
One of the most significant findings of the study was that the six probiotics did not interfere with levodopa treatment. When mixed with the medication, the probiotics didn’t affect how it worked, which is a crucial factor for any potential add-on therapy. In fact, by promoting a healthier gut, the probiotics might even help address some of the problems associated with levodopa treatment.
As mentioned earlier, one of the main challenges with levodopa is that much of it is converted into dopamine in the gut, meaning only a small portion reaches the brain. By improving gut health, probiotics could potentially help more of the medication pass through to the brain, increasing its effectiveness and reducing side effects.
Staying Power in the Gut
For probiotics to be effective, they need to be able to stay in the gut long enough to do their job. The study found that the six bacterial strains had an average to good ability to “auto-aggregate,” meaning they could clump together in the gut. This process helps the bacteria stay in the digestive system, allowing them to establish themselves and form colonies.
Additionally, the probiotics were found to create a barrier that could help prevent harmful bacteria from growing in the gut. This barrier function is another key probiotic trait that supports a healthy gut environment, which could benefit not just digestion but overall health, including neurological well-being.
A New Frontier in Parkinson’s Treatment
Although the research is still in its early stages, the results are encouraging. The six probiotic strains identified in this study seem to meet all the necessary criteria to be considered for further testing and possibly even for use as a supplement to traditional Parkinson’s treatments.
As the researchers wrote, these probiotics could help “eliminate or reduce side effects caused by primary drug treatments,” potentially reducing drug resistance and improving the overall quality of life for people with Parkinson’s. While more studies will be needed to confirm these findings and determine exactly how these probiotics might be used in clinical practice, they offer a promising new avenue for managing Parkinson’s disease and improving patient outcomes.
