Posted by Pauline on October 31, 2001 at 06:29:37:
In Reply to: Re: Psychological Manifestations posted by Therese B. on October 30, 2001 at 21:59:26:
Before you try a nicotine patch on your son, here is a lower risk alternative to try-- NADH, which is a nutrient that *may* be low in diabetes. It's one of those designer type nutrients, and has been packaged in such a way that it is not destroyed by the digestive system. Anything that smoking is *good* for, like Parkinson's (well fewer smokers get Parkinson's disease), NADH is good for too. It's mild, has no known side effects (though I tell you it does affect dopamine system so I wouldn't think it would be good for Schizophrenics!!!) I take it sometimes and it can affect my mental energy-- feeling of being more focused, less brain fog, less post prandial reaction to food, etc. Alan may want to comment here. The only MEDLINE study has to do with chronic fatigue syndrome but there are those smaller clinical things that show it helpful for Parkinson's, etc. Here is the full name--Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide. I am linking a website below which is one of those commercial ones that has a lot of info. But you can get it at Wild Oats, and probably Whole Foods, etc. You have to take it on an empty stomach the very first thing in the morning. I have no idea about its effectiveness on tics, but if a nicotine patch works, this is just a lower risk alternative to try first. But I am totally hearing you-- my Dad had Parkinson's and I have been thinking about starting smoking (cough cough). You could also have him try laying off aspartame a couple of weeks and see if that helps.