Some natural remedies, such as music therapy or supplements, may complement medical treatments for Parkinson’s disease and improve overall health.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurological disorder that affects your body’s movement, muscle control, and balance. It can also affect your cognitive function, senses, and mental health. While there’s no cure, medications, surgeries, and lifestyle changes can relieve symptoms and improve your quality of life.

People experience symptoms of PD differently and have varying levels of success with lifestyle changes, including nutritional supplements and diet changes. Studies have investigated several natural remedies for PD to see if they affect symptoms or disease progression.

While many natural remedies have not been proven effective, some people with PD have claimed to benefit from them.

If you choose to incorporate any supplements or alternative treatments into your PD management plan, speak with a doctor about any interactions with your current treatment.

Here’s what to know about some commonly discussed natural treatments and what the research says about them.

People may use several different nutritional supplements to compensate for low vitamin and mineral levels, preventing health deterioration that could worsen PD symptoms.

While more research is needed to determine how effective they are for people with PD, the supplements under investigation include:

  • Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10): Naturally found in the body, CoQ10 acts as an antioxidant. Researchers have studied CoQ10 in relation to PD, but results so far don’t suggest recommendation as a supplement.
  • Creatine: While it may promote brain health and supply energy to your muscles, researchers have not found creatine to be effective for people with PD.
  • CDP-choline: Also known as citocoline, this may help reduce rigidity and tremors, as it can increase noradrenaline and dopamine levels.
  • Phosphatidylserine (PS): Naturally made in the body, PS is important to brain function. Animal studies have shown that PS supplementation can help with motivation and anxiety, but more research is needed.
  • NADH: NADH helps enzymes in your body convert food into energy. While there is potential that NADH could help slow PD progression, scientists have yet to prove its benefits.
  • Green tea extract: Green tea contains polyphenols, a known antioxidant. Green tea extract may offer a protective effect and help slow PD progression based on the results of cell and animal studies.
  • Alpha lipoid acid (ALA): ALA is a powerful antioxidant compound.While more research is needed, studies show it improves motor impairments in rodents.
  • Carcavrol: Carcavrol is a compound found in oregano and has anticancer properties. Research suggests it can improve memory impairments in rats with PD.
  • N-acetyl cysteine (NAC): A small study found that NAC increased dopamine transporter binding and positively affected motor and cognitive issues in people with PD.
  • Magnesium: Among other benefits, magnesium is important in muscle function. Its benefits to people with PD have been mixed. However, a study with mice showed that magnesium threonate supplements resulted in fewer motor deficits and dopamine neuron loss. More conclusive studies are needed.

Keep in mind that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate nutritional supplements. In most cases, higher quality studies are needed to confirm any true benefits for people with PD.

Vitamins are essential nutrients your body needs in order to function. People with PD commonly have reduced levels of certain vitamins. There’s some evidence that increasing these vitamin levels could help with PD symptoms.

  • Vitamin D: Research links low vitamin D levels with a higher risk of developing PD. Studies also show that vitamin D supplementation holds great potential as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective agent in mice with PD.
  • Vitamin B: The vitamin B family has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects and may be neuroprotective against PD. Though clinical studies are inconsistent, research has shown some benefit from B12 supplementation in reducing the loss of motor and cognitive function. Supplementing with vitamin B6 may also slow disease progression in PD.
  • Vitamin C: A lack of vitamin C is directly linked to a higher risk of PD, and several studies show potential therapeutic benefits to supplementing with vitamin C.
  • Vitamin E: Vitamin E is an antioxidant and can prevent neuronal damage. A 2021 study linked high dietary levels of vitamin E to a lower risk of PD. Additional findings suggest that vitamin E can be neuroprotective.
  • Vitamin A: While vitamin A is involved in brain development, the role of supplementation in preventing or slowing PD is mixed. More research is needed to understand its complex relationship to PD.
  • Vitamin K: While research links lower levels of vitamin K2 to a higher risk of PD, supplementing benefits have not been confirmed and need more research.

Several herbal products have antioxidant capabilities. PD symptoms are often related to oxidative stress, making it possible that the antioxidant action of herbal remedies could benefit people with PD.

  • Ginkgo biloba: Ginkgo biloba can reduce inflammation, improve brain function, and may help with dopamine delivery. It may interact with blood thinners and other medications, so you should discuss its use with a doctor first.
  • Cowhage: This herb (mucuna pruriens, or “velvet bean”) contains levodopa, a medication used in PD treatment. While it may help reduce the motor symptoms of PD, its benefit over time is questionable, and the amount of levodopa available in cowhage is unreliable.
  • Brahmi (bacopa monnieri): Brahmi may improve circulation to the brain, cognition, and mood. Few studies exist on its benefits in PD, but its antioxidant properties show promise in protecting the brain from damage.

Speak with a doctor before trying any herbal remedies. Some herbal elements may interfere with or have an adverse effect on certain medications.

Diet changes will not cure PD, but certain foods may help reduce symptoms or lower your risk of developing PD.

  • Caffeine: Research suggests caffeine shows neuroprotective, motor, and cognitive benefits in people with PD. It may also delay the onset of PD but does less to slow disease progression.
  • Omega-3 fats: These healthy fats are present in foods like salmon, oysters, and kidney beans. Though clinical evidence is inconclusive, they could help improve brain function in people with PD.
  • Fava beans: These beans naturally contain levodopa, which is why people think they may help with PD. However, the amount of levodopa in fava beans is minimal, and there’s little evidence that they’re effective against PD symptoms. While harmless to include in a PD-friendly diet, they’re not an alternative to prescribed medications.
  • Mannitol: Mannitol is a common sugar substitute with potential neuroprotective benefits. In animals, it prevents the clumping of alpha-synuclein, which is present in people with PD, and also improves motor function. However, research has not shown that the benefits extend to humans, and there’s not enough evidence to support its use for PD.
  • Curcumin: Found in turmeric, curcumin is a potent antioxidant and neuroprotective agent. While more research is needed, using curcumin along with standard PD treatment could improve results.
  • Probiotics: Probiotics are live microorganisms that help support a healthy gut. While the relationship between PD and the gut is complex, many people with PD experience constipation and related intestinal inflammation issues. Taking a probiotic supplement has proven helpful against constipation for people with PD, while research into additional benefits of probiotics is ongoing.

More research is needed to prove the specific benefits of these diet changes for people with Parkinson’s disease. However, these foods are usually well tolerated and have minimal risk of side effects.

Exercise and staying active are important parts of living well with PD. Physical therapy and other movement-based therapies may help improve or maintain PD symptoms. Options include:

  • Massage: Focused massage may reduce tremors and body rigidity.
  • Acupuncture: Acupuncture may be able to delay PD progression.
  • Yoga: Yoga can improve motor function, balance, and functional mobility in people with PD.
  • Tai-chi: This gentle exercise that uses movement and mindfulness may improve motor and non-motor symptoms and prevent falls in older adults with PD.

According to a 2021 research review, music therapy focusing on listening and rhythmic elements can help motor function in people with PD. Other musical activities, like group singing, may help with:

  • communication
  • swallowing
  • breathing
  • mood

A certified music therapist can design and administer a music therapy program best suited to the needs of someone with PD.

Homeopathic remedies are plant-derived medications people can customize to treat various ailments. While formal research on their benefits is either lacking or mixed, many cultures rely on homeopathic medical treatments. Advocates of homeopathic medicine claim the following remedies may benefit people with PD:

While some homeopathic remedies have existed for centuries, none are FDA-approved. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health also notes that there’s little evidence to support homeopathic remedies, and some may cause harm.

Several lifestyle and wellness options may be helpful as complementary therapies to medical treatments. These natural remedies may help improve symptoms and possibly delay disease progression.

It’s important to speak with a doctor before adding any new supplements or herbal remedies to your PD treatment plan. While many natural remedies are well tolerated and have few side effects, some could interfere with your medications. Other supposed remedies have little evidence supporting their effectiveness.

A careful diet, conscientious exercise, and certain vitamins and supplements may help improve quality of life and reduce PD symptoms.