The substantia nigra is a part of the brain. Neurons (nerve cells) within the substantia nigra produce the chemical dopamine. Parkinson's disease is a brain disorder which causes the neurons of the substantia nigra to die, or to stop working properly. Fewer neurons means less dopamine.

Parkinson's Symptoms

Once a person has lost about 80 percent of their dopamine-producing neurons, they will start to notice the symptoms of Parkinson's. Dopamine helps the body and its muscles to move in a coordinated, graceful way. It smoothes movement. A lack of dopamine produces movements that lack this grace. This is why a person with Parkinson's is often rigid and slow-moving.

Perhaps the most noticeable symptom of Parkinson's disease is the tremor. A person with this brain disorder will noticeably shake. Other symptoms include mumbling speech, a shuffling gait, a change in handwriting, and wooden facial expressions. Depression is also a symptom of Parkinson's.

There is no cure for this disease, but there are very effective treatments. Most of the treatments hinge on substituting dopamine in the body. To help these treatments work better, and to bolster overall health, many people turn to holistic therapies as well. These can include tools which bolster the immune system, vitamins, meditation, exercise, and proper diet.

People with Parkinson's should consider taking supplements to improve the health of their immune systems. Much evidence points to the powerful impact glutathione levels can have on the health of a person. Glutathione is a tripeptide that naturally occurs in every cell of the human body. In those who are sick, glutathione levels tend to be low. Oral glutathione supplements are not effective, because glutathione is digested and broken down in the stomach, meaning very little actually reaches the bloodstream. It's important to take a precursor or building block of glutathione, and the most important of these is cysteine. Cysteine is best supplied by bioactive undenatured whey proteins. People with Parkinson's may benefit from undenatured whey proteins that raise their glutathione back up to a normal, healthy level.