Objective: The main endpoint of the study was to evaluate if a daily intake of whey protein-based dietary supplement causes a worse response to levodopa in people with Parkinson’s Disease (PWPD)

Background: In PWPD, the competition between large neutral aminoacids and levodopa at intestinal absorption level may interfere with dopaminergic therapy’s effect. Therefore, low protein and protein redistribution dietary regimen has been suggested to be used in PWPD. Many dietary supplementations are available to help people in balancing the protein intake and overcoming muscle mass loss. However, most of the products contain protein and could potentially affect levodopa action in patients with PD

Method: We performed a randomised single blind monocentric study on PD patients admitted in the rehabilitative unit who undergo a 4-week multidisciplined intensive aerobic rehabilitation treatment. All patients received a standard protein redistribution dietary regimen plus a whey protein-based oral formula (N=19; WPS) or Magnesium (N=25; Mg) twice daily for 28 days.
A neurological assessment and physical evaluation were conducted before (T0) and after (T1) rehabilitative treatment; dopaminergic treatment was recorded at T0 and T1 as well. The delta of changes within groups in neurological (UPDRS III) and physical evaluation (TUG) and (6MW) scales was compared between groups

Results: Groups were comparable at baseline in clinical and demographic data; after rehabilitative treatment, both groups showed a decrease in UPDRS III, in TUG and 6 MWT and no differences between deltas were found. Similarly, Levodopa dose and LED significantly decreased at follow up in both groups with no differences in delta either.

Conclusion: Our results show that whey protein supplementation does not interfere with dopaminergic therapy efficacy and can be used in PWPD who need a protein supplementation without restrictions in intake hours.

References: Rondanelli M, Cereda E, Klersy C, Faliva MA, Peroni G, Nichetti M, Gasparri C, Iannello G, Spadaccini D, Infantino V, Caccialanza R, Perna S. Improvingrehabilitation in sarcopenia: a randomized-controlled trial utilizing a muscle-targeted food for special medicalpurposes. J CachexiaSarcopenia Muscle. 2020 Dec;11(6):1535-1547. doi: 10.1002/jcsm.12532. Epub 2020 Sep 22. PMID: 32961041; PMCID: PMC7749532.
Barichella M, Cereda E, Pinelli G, Iorio L, Caroli D, Masiero I, Ferri V, Cassani E, Bolliri C, Caronni S, Maggio M, Ortelli P, Ferrazzoli D, Maras A, Riboldazzi G, Frazzitta G, Pezzoli G. Muscle-targetednutritional support for rehabilitation in patients with parkinsoniansyndrome. Neurology. 2019 Jul 30;93(5):e485-e496. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000007858. Epub 2019 Jul 5.

Veronese N., Berton L., Carraro S., Bolzetta F., De Rui M., Perissinotto E., Toffanello E.D., Bano G., Pizzato S., Miotto F. Effect of oralmagnesiumsupplementation on physical performance in healthyelderly women involvedin aweeklyexerciseprogram: A randomizedcontrolled trial. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2014;100:974–981. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.113.080168

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/can-we-add-whey-protein-supplementation-in-patients-with-parkinsons-disease-without-interfering-with-levodopa-response/