AtremoPlus: Reduced freezing! Part 2

Less Freezing / Motor Blockage

In this newsletter, we will delve deeper into the theme of “freezing”, also known as “motor blockage”.

Freezing is characterized by temporary periods where voluntary movements are blocked.

In the case of “cognitive freezing”, the thinking and decision-making process is temporarily blocked.

These two phenomena of motor and cognitive freezing can be related.

The uncertainty about when freezing may occur often creates stress, even anxiety, as it can occur in embarrassing or even dangerous situations.

During our recent survey, we observed that 33.4% of AtremoPlus users reported suffering from freezing very frequently or frequently.

However, after introducing AtremoPlus into their daily lives, the percentage of people in these two most affected categories dropped to 10.11%, which is a decrease of about 70%.

Only 9% of these two groups do not notice any improvement.

It is worth noting that among these 9%, most are significantly under-dosed, taking only one dose per day (2.5g) or the bare minimum of 2 doses (5g).

Conversely, people who notice an improvement in their freezing problem take an average of 4 doses per day (10g).

What are the mechanisms of freezing?

The first question already concerns the reasons why this phenomenon occurs. It is indeed interesting to examine the origins of this phenomenon.

Although science has not yet fully understood all the mechanisms involved, we can find clues for answers in structural, physiological, cognitive, and emotional aspects.

1. Structural Aspect:

• Neuroanatomical Alterations:
  Structural changes in the neural circuits involved in motor control, such as the motor cortex and the basal ganglia, may contribute to freezing.
  Additionally, alterations in the neural circuits responsible for movement regulation may also play a role in the freezing phenomenon. These complex neural circuits interact with brain regions involved in planning and motor control, and any disruption in these circuits can lead to difficulties in initiating and maintaining movement.
  To illustrate this, imagine a highway where some parts are damaged or blocked, thus disrupting the flow of traffic. In our case, it is at the beginning of the highway corresponding to the brain that the traffic is not well organized. It’s as if there were roadworks, with more limited access at times, where traffic flow can block at any moment. It’s the same with the flow of impulses and neural signals.
  
  
• Alterations in Neuronal Connections:
  Changes in neural connections (synapses) that regulate motor control can disrupt movement coordination, leading to freezing episodes.
  Staying in the metaphor of traffic and roads, these would be the intersections that pose a problem. They would be congested at times and block the flow and transmission of signals.
  
  
• Decreased Capacity to Convert L-Dopa to Dopamine:
  In Parkinson’s disease, some dopaminergic neurons die, reducing the brain’s ability to convert L-Dopa to dopamine. The disease is generally diagnosed after the degeneration of about 60 to 80% of these neurons. Thus, the “conversion factory” of L-Dopa to dopamine in our brain works at a reduced capacity.

2. Physiological Aspect

• Dopaminergic Deficits:
  The structural problems mentioned above affect the availability of this valuable “fuel,” dopamine, necessary to initiate neural flows and thus engage in movement.
  In the context of our road metaphor, this means that there is sometimes a shortage of fuel in our tank. When fuel runs out, the engine periodically stalls, leading to difficulties in moving forward.

3. Cognitive and Stress Aspect:

• Cognitive Disturbance:
  Regarding the cognitive aspect of freezing, it is important to understand that the brain plays a crucial role in initiating and controlling voluntary movements. In the case of freezing, there appear to be disturbances in the cognitive processes involved in movement planning and execution. Studies suggest that freezing may be associated with deficits in the brain’s executive functions, particularly in the ability to initiate and maintain movement in response to an appropriate signal.
  
  
• Stress Response:
  Stress can worsen freezing symptoms by disrupting the neural pathways responsible for motor control.
  This stress and anxiety are often linked to the anticipation of freezing, which can exacerbate the phenomenon by interfering with the neural processes involved in movement.
  To stick with the road image, taking these damaged routes is like the brain, under stress, sending contradictory signals to the feet, creating neurological traffic jams that disrupt smooth movement. It’s true that when we get angry behind the wheel of our car, there is rarely anything positive that results.

In summary, these four different aspects, namely structural, physiological, cognitive, and emotional aspects, interact in a complex way to contribute to the freezing phenomenon in people with Parkinson’s disease.

What could be the mechanisms of action that reduce freezing in AtremoPlus users?

Here we will attempt to understand the underlying mechanisms behind the feedback from AtremoPlus users, the vast majority of whom report a significant improvement in freezing.

We will therefore seek to examine the four problems developed above and understand how the active ingredients contained in the Vicia faba plant positively impact these elements, thereby contributing to a reduction in freezing.

1. Structural Aspect:

• Preservation and Regeneration:
  We have seen in one of our recent newsletters that science is enthusiastically discovering the phenomenon of brain plasticity. You can still access it by clicking on the link below. Contrary to popular belief, it is possible to create new neural networks and new neuronal connections at any age and at any time.
  To regain ground, it is crucial to counteract the harmful effects of oxidative stress and chronic neuroinflammation in order to limit the loss of dopaminergic neurons. Science thus indicates to us that certain active principles of the Vicia faba plant, thanks to their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and protective properties, can contribute to fighting neuronal degeneration. Furthermore, these active principles also promote neuronal growth by stimulating growth factors (BDNF), as discussed in our previous newsletter.
  Research teaches us that we have the capacity to generate new neurons and synapses (neuronal connections). In addition, the improvement in gene expression through better production of well-folded proteins (developed in another of our newsletters) reinforces this phenomenon of structural improvements in our brain.
  Thus, to stick with the road metaphor, our goal is to preserve existing roads while building new paths to promote smooth traffic by transmitting nerve impulses and signals for smoother and less prone to block movement.

2. Physiological Aspect:

• Filling the Dopaminergic Deficit:
  We have observed that our brain’s ability to convert L-Dopa to dopamine is reduced in people with Parkinson’s disease. Therefore, optimizing structural aspects as mentioned earlier is a valuable aid in preserving, or even improving, our capabilities.
  However, even if we can gain ground, this reduced capacity leads us to the conclusion that we must simultaneously optimize the dopamine production process to compensate for the reduced capacity.
  This is where the Vicia faba plant comes into play, as it naturally contains carbidopa. But how can carbidopa help optimize the dopamine production process?
  L-Dopa, which is a very small molecule, follows a complex path after ingestion. Initially, it passes through the gastrointestinal tract. However, to reach the brain and be converted into dopamine, it must overcome two obstacles.
  When it enters the bloodstream, L-Dopa risks being converted into dopamine before reaching the brain, but the dopamine molecule itself cannot cross the blood-brain barrier due to its size being too large.
  This is where carbidopa comes in. It inhibits the conversion of L-Dopa into dopamine in the blood, thus preserving the L-Dopa molecule so that it can reach the brain. Once in the brain, L-Dopa is converted into dopamine, this neurotransmitter that contributes to the smoothness of movements and thus reduces the phenomenon of freezing.
  Vicia faba, containing carbidopa naturally, can thus promote the efficient transport of L-Dopa to the brain, by improving its absorption rate and minimizing its premature conversion into dopamine in the bloodstream.

3. Cognitive and Stress Aspect:

• Cognitive Optimization:
  The positive impact on structural and physiological aspects suggests that there could be a positive cascade effect on the cognitive part, thus making decision-making and movement control processes clearer and smoother.
  However, another very important actor deserves particular attention for the cognitive aspect of freezing, which will be the subject of a future newsletter.
  This is a molecule widely underestimated in the context of Parkinson’s disease: norepinephrine. During clinical trials, a considerable increase in norepinephrine levels was observed after taking AtremoPlus.
  
  
• Better Stress Management:
  In our previous newsletters, the links to which are available below, we mentioned significant improvements, particularly in terms of sleep and pain reduction, two sources contributing to stress.
  If we only take into account these two aspects among many others, we can say that a good night’s sleep makes us more relaxed and regenerated the next day.
  As for pain, it is a persistent and exhausting source of stress. Pain reduction can promote a decrease in stress and better use of our capacities freed from having to manage pain.

Smoother transitions between “off” and “on” moments?

Freezing is related to what the Parkinson’s community calls “off”  and “on” moments. These terms refer to fluctuations in the response of people with Parkinson’s to synthetic L-Dopa, resulting in:

• “on” periods where symptoms are well controlled and
• “off” periods where symptoms reappear, including freezing.

Transitions between “on” and “off” periods can be critical moments for freezing.

For example, during the transition from “on” to “off,” the risk of freezing may increase as synthetic L-Dopa becomes less effective, while during the transition from “off” to “on,” movement may suddenly be released, which can lead to disturbances in walking and other motor activities.

Freezing could be considered an extreme case of off-moments, where even after taking synthetic L-Dopa, the body is temporarily unable to process information related to movements or actions.

It should be noted that AtremoPlus users frequently report smoother and thus more predictable transitions between “on” and “off” moments, as well as a notable decrease in “off” periods.

And what about “wearing off”?

In a more global but less temporary way, there is another “off” phenomenon called “wearing off,” which refers to a progressive decrease in the effectiveness of synthetic L-Dopa used to treat motor symptoms. This phenomenon is well known and described in many scientific studies.

People may notice that their symptoms, such as stiffness, tremor, and slowness of movements, return before the time of their next dose of synthetic L-Dopa.

It is interesting to note that AtremoPlus users do not report this phenomenon of “wearing off.”

On the contrary, even their neurologists are surprised by the unusual stability of their patients over time and the possibility of gradually reducing their synthetic L-Dopa dosage by 25 to 50%.

Neurologists emphasize that this situation is particularly interesting for people at the end of their therapeutic journey, namely those who have reached the maximum limit of synthetic L-Dopa intake and no longer feel the same effects as at the beginning.

The majority of our clients take both anti-Parkinson’s medications and our natural product as a supplement, and often, they report that even their synthetic L-Dopa is potentiated and works better.

We wish you to regain ground

By reducing their freezing, AtremoPlus users report an improvement in their quality of life, greater autonomy, less frustration, and more joy. Their daily lives open up to positive developments as they can resume activities and nurture social relationships they had to abandon.

If you are not yet entirely satisfied with your results in one area or another, it is important to note that any initiative, such as the activities described in our last newsletter (Freezing part 1), can have a positive impact on quality of life.

Furthermore, we remind you because some people tend to forget, it is essential not to be under-dosed.

At AtremoPlus, we are here to help you optimize the intake of our supplement to promote progress or confirm advances in one area or another.

Since the brain does not always integrate the progress we make, we have set up the mini-survey that can help you become aware of your situation before and after taking Atremoplus and thus fully enjoy the improvements.

(See our newsletter on the questionnaire by clicking on the link below).

Our goal is to help you regain ground by settling into a virtuous circle far from freezing periods. Thus, well warmed and energized by regained autonomy, we wish you to fully enjoy your life, despite Parkinson’s.