Deletion of discussions

Dear RobertT

Thanks for that information.  It makes me wonder what I eat that would normally give me copper?  I have no idea so I'll search fror it.  In the meantime I'll try the copper chelate and see if I can feel a difference.    Not very scientific but its hard to do a double blind test on yourself.

I think a lesson here is that if you get a bit off topic you should put informative posts on  the best discussion thread and then put a pointer on the original discussion.   Or something like that but it all feels like its doubling the effort.

Cheers Graham

Further Internet searches today show only a few sources saying copper is a cofactor in the tyrosine to L-DOPA conversion; most just say the cofactors are iron and oxygen (and BH4 which doesn't seem to contain copper). Most do say copper is a cofactor in the conversion of dopamine to noradrenalin.

There is no shortage of seemingly reliable sources saying copper is important for iron transport.

If tyrosine supplemantation does not work, and probably one has an adequate supply from protein in the diet anyway, and L-DOPA deos work, is it not reasonable to assume that its's the conversion of tyrosine to L-DOPA that's the problem? If the components necessary for it are present and/or available, what feedback or other factor within the nervous system or the body's biochemistry could affect this process?

Dear RobertT

Sounds interesting but I am not knowledgable in this complex area.   The medical profession is obviously guessing when it comes to RLS so if you have an idea its worth offering to somone in the business.

Are you involved in research into medical matters?   I have read that about 5 to 10% of the population have RLS.   Hence wouldnt you think that 5% of medical researchers would think it was worth a major effort?

Look at the number of contributors to this forum.     Maybe we should all donate a euro, a dollar or a pound to some research establishment.

In no time at all we would be paying for a huge beuracracy driving Beemers and holding conferences in the west indies or Singapore.

Cheers

Graham

Well, I did get a physics degree but I'm not really a chemist even if I did research on water partly funded by an international food company.

I can scarcely think researchers haven't considered what I'm saying, except perhaps one should remember the film "Lorenzo's Oil" and think that the most unlikely thing about it was probably the volume of information a public library had on its shelves! I'm also rather aware that a number of quite large nuclear power stations were built before the corrosive action of such a mundane thing as carbon dioxide on mild steel (at higher temperatures) was discovered.

Dear RobertT

Researchers sometimes miss things or can't find funding for their ideas.   In the case of a FODMAP diet its much more profitable for the Pharmaceutical companies to develop a drug than to find a diet that alleviates the symptoms.  Hence the need for Universities who need research projects for advanced students but have to pay for them out of their own meagre funds.   I read somewhere that a significant number of good ideas wither because the researcher can't find a couple of dozen volunteers for the human testing trials.   You need 10 or 12 in the test group and another 10 or 12 similar people in a control group.   You probably see advertisements in doctors waiting rooms and so on.   The problem is apparently that you only have a short time to find your volunteers before your funding lapses.   I'm in a test group at the moment for a treatment and if it works and is released I will let everfyone on this forum know.   I think I agreed not to tell details until its been accepted by the university.   Slightly off the topic but the Michael J Fox research group into Parkinsons are looking for human test subjects at times and they maintain a register of possible subjects.  They do cooperative work with researchers all over the world.     I expect there are others nearer you if you would like to contribute a few hours of spare time.    Of course in many cases you have to be unfortunate enough to have some condition so its a bit of an exclusive club that you are happy not to qualify for.    In my case I have a slight "condition" that might be a precursor to Parkinsons or it might not be.    They will know more after I successfully negotiate another 25 years or so.    Its really long term stuff and we might hope that others will have found a cure before the result of observing me matters.     Incidently I have been assured that RLS is not a precursor to Parkinsons even though it is thought  they have some things in common.

Ill still try the copper and see if I can see a difference.   The iron definately helped me for a period of a month or so and now I can't be sure but I continue to take it just in case.     If I reach zero RLS I can afford to start dropping some things off to see if I still need them.

Yes, at on time it was thought that maybe RLS was stage 0 Parkinson's. This paper comparing the two conditions is almost readable:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3514082/

Regarding the issue of the main or most common problem thought to be causing RLS, getting iron in the right form into cell fluid so it can work with tyrosine hydroxylase, this PowerPoint presentation by Penn State's Milton Hershey Medical Center is quite good:

www.rls.org/Document.Doc?id=1674

The Milton Hershey Medical Center seems to be doing quite a bit of research of interest to us, including that needing volunteers.

Thanks RobertT this looks interesting.   I will do some reading.

Cheers

Graham

Thanks mrsmop i did it and it worked!

Cheers

Graham,