I’ve had several clients inquire about the amount of carbohydrates in the Mucuna powder that we use and whether that will affect their ability to follow a ketogenic diet and stay in ketosis, so I thought this an opportune time to address this issue in a post.
Many people with Parkinson’s Disease seek out alternative options to try and slow down the progression of the disorder and/or to minimize the need for medication. We utilize an approach that focuses on diet, targeted supplementation and lifestyle changes to provide support for those with Parkinson’s-like symptoms (to learn more, please visit: https://naturalsolutionsforparkinsonsdisease.com/). This often includes the use of a customized balance of amino acids to provide each person the building blocks they need to restore optimal function. We utilize a Mucuna product from CHK Nutrition that is standardized to 40% L-dopa to provide the foundational support most of these people need. Maltodextrin is used as a flow and fill agent in these preparations.
Recently, some research has suggested that a ketogenic diet may provide some benefit for those with Parkinson’s disease. In order to stay in ketosis, most people need to consume less than ~ 50 grams of carbohydrates per day.
According to the manufacturer, the Mucuna 40% products that we use (both capsules and powders) contain 0.33 grams of carbohydrate (1.32 calories) per 600 mg. Normally, a person with Parkinson’s-like symptoms requires between 20-40 grams of Mucuna 40% powder; this would equate to between 11-22 grams of carbohydrates. Therefore, a person following a ketogenic diet would simply need to calculate the total number of grams of carbohydrate they are consuming in their daily amount of Mucuna 40% powder (or capsules) and reduce the daily amount of carbohydrates consumed accordingly in order to stay in ketosis.
