You’re Not Sick—You’re UnderNourished: How Toxins and Nutrient Deficiencies Converge in Parkinson’s

Not long ago, I shared an image in my Facebook groups that struck a nerve—it sparked conversation, curiosity, and a flood of comments. (I wish I knew the original source to give proper credit.) The message was simple but powerful: You’re not sick—you’re undernourished. 

That one idea opened the door to so many questions: Which nutrients are we missing? What does that mean for chronic conditions? And more importantly—what can we do about it? So in this new blog series, I’m diving deeper—starting with one of the most misunderstood conditions out there: Parkinson’s.

For years, Parkinson’s has been seen as an unlucky roll of the genetic dice or an inevitable part of aging. But after decades of digging deep into what really drives disease, I believe we need to look at it differently. What if Parkinson’s—and many other conditions like it—are the result of long-term nutritional depletion and toxic overload of the brain? 

What’s Poisoning the Brain?

Two of the biggest culprits are glyphosate and paraquat—common herbicides used on our food and in our environment. These toxins damage mitochondria, ramp up oxidative stress, and slowly chip away at the brain’s ability to produce dopamine—the very neurotransmitter we lose in Parkinson’s.

It gets worse. These chemicals can also interfere with how your body absorbs and uses nutrients, which means even if you’re eating well, you might still be running on empty.

• Paraquat is especially troubling. People exposed to it may be more than twice as likely to develop Parkinson’s. It’s considered so damaging to the brain that scientists actually use it to create Parkinson’s-like symptoms in lab animals. It harms the mitochondria, ramps up oxidative stress, and gradually destroys the very brain cells that make dopamine—the same ones that decline in Parkinson’s. (PubMed: https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/paraquat-pesticide-parkinsons-disease )
• Glyphosate, the main ingredient in Roundup, is another chemical I’ve been concerned about for years. Some research suggests it can mess with dopamine pathways and trigger inflammation in the brain over time. There’s even a case of a man who developed Parkinson’s-like symptoms just a few years after ingesting it. (ScienceDirect https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0013935122012609 )

When the Brain Runs Out of Fuel

Dopamine is the neurotransmitter that helps regulate movement, coordination, and balance. When those neurons die off, dopamine levels drop—and the brain can’t send proper signals to the muscles. As dopamine levels decrease, typical Parkinson symptoms begin to appear:

• Tremors
• Muscle stiffness
• Slowness of movement (bradykinesia)
• Difficulty with balance and coordination

The brain doesn’t just suddenly stop making dopamine. It slows down because it’s been running low on key nutrients for far too long. Nutrients like vitamin B1, magnesium, amino acids (especially tyrosine), and glutathione—one of your body’s most powerful antioxidants. 

These nutrients aren’t optional. They’re the raw materials your brain needs to function, repair, and protect itself.

REBUILDING THE BRAIN: YOUR NUTRIENT TOOLKIT

#1 Glutathione

When it comes to glutathione, I don’t just recommend it—I use it. Glutathione injections are one of the most effective ways to build it back up, especially if you’re dealing with inflammation, toxic load, or long-standing stress. Injections bypass digestion and go straight to the bloodstream so your body can put it to work right away. Glutathione injections require a doctor’s prescription, but you can usually get them from your local pharmacy, or even order online from pharmacies like the one I use (Olympia Pharmacy in Orlando, FL).

If injections aren’t your thing, you’ll find oral forms of glutathione in my Fullscript catalog – no prescription necessary. Just type “glutathione” into the search bar. Take as directed.

#2 Vitamin B1

And then there’s vitamin B1—thiamine. High-dose thiamine has been another real game changer for me. When B1 levels are low, you feel it—fatigue, brain fog, even nerve issues. But when your levels come back up, the difference can be remarkable. It’s also been shown to support neurological repair.

For therapeutic use, I’ve found doses anywhere from 300 to 600 mg a day, divided into two doses, can be effective. And don’t forget, it works best with the right cofactors, like magnesium and a quality B-complex to keep everything in balance. UNI KEY’s Mag-Key contains not one, but four forms of magnesium along with Vitamin B6 which helps to optimize absorption and assimilation of magnesium. Magnesium is an absolute MUST for maintaining your brain (and heart) health. 

When choosing a good vitamin B complex, I recommend UNI KEY’s Advanced Daily Multivitamin. It includes over 30 key vitamins and minerals in highly absorbable forms along with:

• Methylated B-12 and Folate for optimum absorption and those with MTHFR concerns
• Chromium for healthy blood sugar support
• Iodine for thyroid support
• Increased vitamin D for immunity, brain and bone health
• Upgraded B vitamins that are commonly deficient
• Alpha lipoic acid for potent antioxidant support that crosses the blood/brain barrier

#3 Ultra H-3 Plus

UNI KEY’s Ultra H-3 Plus contains a special form of Vitamin B1 called benfotiamine, which has been shown to cross the blood-brain barrier to help protect your precious gray matter. Not only does benfotiamine boost the activity of the enzyme responsible for producing dopamine, a neurotransmitter crucial for brain function, but it also helps reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in the brain. This makes benfotiamine uniquely positioned to support optimum dopamine function. 

It’s one supplement you’ll definitely want to have onboard for additional support. My suggested dosage of Ultra H-3 Plus is 300 mg daily.

#4 NADH

NADH is a coenzyme made from vitamin B3, and it’s one of the body’s most important little helpers when it comes to energy. You can think of it as the spark plug in your brain’s energy engine — helping your cells turn nutrients into the fuel they need to stay active and alert. This is especially important in Parkinson’s, where the brain struggles to make enough dopamine.

What’s exciting is that NADH doesn’t just boost cellular energy — it also plays a direct role in supporting dopamine production. That’s why some researchers are exploring it as a natural support for those with Parkinson’s. It’s not a miracle fix, but for some, it may help lift fatigue, sharpen focus, and support steadier movement by feeding the brain exactly what it’s craving.

You’ll find NADH in my Fullscript catalog. Just type “NADH” in the search bar. Take according to directions.

Real Recovery Starts with Rebuilding

Don’t wait until it’s too late. Start with the basics. Build up your levels of magnesium, B-vitamins, glutathione, and NADH—these are the foundation for healthy brain and nervous system function. Just by doing these simple things, you’ll be giving your body the tools it needs to protect, repair, and rebuild—often in ways that can truly surprise you.

Because when you give the body what it’s truly missing—it often knows exactly how to heal.

P.S. I’d love for you to join me in any (or all!) of my Facebook groups – it’s where the real conversations happen and where I share tips, updates, and support in real time:

• Fat Flush Nation
• Radical Metabolism Revolution
• Radical Longevity
• Menopause And Beyond
• Inner Circle (membership required) 

Resources:

Birkmayer JG, Vrecko C, Volc D, Birkmayer W. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH)–a new therapeutic approach to Parkinson’s disease. Comparison of oral and parenteral application. Acta Neurol Scand Suppl. 1993;146:32-5. PMID: 8101414.

Medical News Today. 2024. “Form of Vitamin B3 May Help Manage Parkinson’s Disease.” February 7, 2024. 

Cilia R, Laguna J, Cassani E, et al. Mucuna pruriens in Parkinson disease: A double-blind, randomized, controlled, crossover study. Neurology (2017); Aug 1; 89(5):432-438. DOI: 10.1212/WNL. 0000000000004175 

Costantini A, Fancellu R. An open-label pilot study with high-dose thiamine in Parkinson’s disease. Neural Regen Res. 2016;11(3):406–407. doi:10.4103/1673–5374.179047 

Costantini A, Pala MI, Compagnoni L, et al. High-dose thiamine as initial treatment for Parkinson’s disease. BMJ Case Reports 2013;2013:bcr2013009289. (2013c) 

Pavlović, DM. Thiamine Deficiency and Benfotiamine Therapy in Brain Diseases. Am J Biomed Sci & Res. 2019–3(1). AJBSR.MS.ID.000621. DOI: 10.34297/AJBSR.2019.03.000621 

Smithline HA, Donnino M, Greenblatt DJ. Pharmacokinetics of high-dose oral thiamine hydrochloride in healthy subjects. BMC Clinical Pharm 2012;12:4 (2012)