August 25, 2025

Neurodegenerative Diseases 

What is a neurodegenerative disease?

A neurodegenerative disease is a disease that targets and progressively damages the nervous system, especially the brain. It is common for these diseases to be detected later in life due to slow disease progression, but as the disease progresses and causes more damage to the brain, symptoms begin to become more prevalent, and friends or family members may start to notice changes in their loved ones at this time. While most people are familiar with Parkinson’s Disease and Alzheimer’s Disease, there are many other neurodegenerative diseases that are prevalent, including Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), and Lewy Body Dementia, to name a few.

 

Prevalence

Neurodegenerative diseases are one of the leading causes of disability in the United States, affecting roughly 15% of the population, and rising, according to a study published in 2023. As the current population begins to age, it is theorized that we will also see an increase in the diagnoses of neurodegenerative diseases.

 

Signs and Symptoms

Each person is different, and each disease state is different, so the individual presentation of signs and symptoms may vary between different individuals.

  • In demyelinating diseases, one may experience numbness and tingling, muscle spasms, weakness, and pain.
  • With dementia-type diseases, one may experience changes in their mood or behaviors or difficulty with cognition, thinking, or memory.
  • In motor neuron diseases, like ALS, one may experience weakness and loss of muscle control.
  • And, in Parkinsonian-type diseases, one may experience tremors, changes in their balance or posture, changes in the way they walk or write, and many individuals may also experience changes in bowel movements, as many bodily functions often slow down in these conditions. 

 

Naturopathic Support

The naturopathic doctors at Richmond Natural Medicine will work to assess your neurological health. They will obtain in-depth information about your family history, your personal history of illnesses and injuries, environmental exposures and occupational history, diet/nutrition, and current or previous stressors. By diving into these topics, we can gain better insight into how we can best support you as an individual.

Suppose you or a loved one has a diagnosis of a neurodegenerative disease. In that case, you likely have done research and have seen different lifestyle changes and/or supplements that may be beneficial, but you may be feeling overwhelmed with where to start. Let’s take a moment to dive into a few well-researched topics that may help support someone after they receive a diagnosis of a neurodegenerative disease.

Exercise:

Exercise has long been known as a helpful tool for promoting overall health and wellness. Recent studies show that intense exercise may induce changes in the brain that may potentially help slow the progression of Parkinson’s Disease and reduce symptom presentation. 

Supplemental support:

Supplemental support is often necessary in patients with neurodegenerative diseases for many reasons, but especially if they are not obtaining adequate nutrients from their diets. 

  • One study reported that circulating magnesium levels in patients with neurodegenerative diseases were significantly lower than in healthy control subjects. For optimal support, it is essential to supplement with a bioavailable form of magnesium, specifically one that crosses the blood-brain barrier, which is often disrupted due to neurodegenerative changes. 
  • Recent research supports the use of melatonin for neurodegenerative diseases. It is believed that it can modulate the immune response and act as a potent antioxidant, both of which could potentially help reduce disease progression. 
  • Many additional supplements may be needed on a case-by-case basis, and your naturopathic doctor can help you make the right recommendations based on your individual needs.
Microbiome:

Microbiome support may be necessary for some patients with neurodegenerative diseases because it is common to see changes in digestion and bowel movements with disease progression. Even if there are no digestive complaints, microbiome support can still be beneficial in neurodegenerative diseases because there is a strong connection between the gut and the brain, and more research is showing that the microbiome in healthy subjects looks vastly different from the microbiome of a patient with symptomatic Alzheimer’s Disease. 

Nervous system:

Nervous system support is another area necessary to target neurodegenerative diseases. As we know, the vagus nerve plays a crucial role in our daily lives, and living in a disrupted state may contribute to nervous system function. Studies show increasing evidence for using vagus nerve stimulation in neurodegenerative disorders, as it is believed that vagus nerve stimulation can help reduce neuroinflammation and improve overall cognitive function. Daily vagus nerve exercises at home can be a great tool to support the vagus nerve continually. Craniosacral therapy can also be an excellent tool. 

 

Prevention

So far, we’ve discussed different areas of support that may be helpful for someone who has been diagnosed with a neurodegenerative disease. But what can we do to help prevent neurodegenerative diseases?

Some diseases indeed follow a hereditary pattern of inheritance. However, others are thought to be caused by a combination of genetics, lifestyle habits, and environmental exposures. We can support the body and help reduce the risk of developing a neurodegenerative disease by changing our daily habits and reducing our environmental or occupational exposures. Daily exercise and focusing on consuming a healthy, balanced diet containing protein, healthy fats, fiber, and antioxidants can be a great place to start. Try adding in a daily puzzle (crossword, word search, sudoku, etc) to help challenge your mind and keep it sharp. Reduce screen time as much as possible. This is especially important with ‘mindless scrolling’, which disengages our brain, which is the opposite of what we want!

 

Call Today!

If you or your loved one has been diagnosed with a neurodegenerative disease, and you are looking for additional support. Or, if you have a strong family history and you want to focus on prevention, schedule your initial appointment today!

 

References:

  • Van Schependom J, D’haeseleer M. Advances in Neurodegenerative Diseases. J Clin Med. 2023;12(5):1709. Published 2023 Feb 21. doi:10.3390/jcm12051709 
  • https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24976-neurodegenerative-diseases 
  • de Laat B, Hoye J, Stanley G, et al. Intense exercise increases dopamine transporter and neuromelanin concentrations in the substantia nigra in Parkinson’s disease. NPJ Parkinsons Dis. 2024;10(1):34. Published 2024 Feb 9. doi:10.1038/s41531-024-00641-1
  • Du K, Zheng X, Ma ZT, Lv JY, Jiang WJ, Liu MY. Association of Circulating Magnesium Levels in Patients With Alzheimer’s Disease From 1991 to 2021: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Front Aging Neurosci. 2022;13:799824. Published 2022 Jan 10. doi:10.3389/fnagi.2021.799824 
  • Ferreiro AL, Choi J, Ryou J, Newcomer EP, Thompson R, Bollinger RM, Hall-Moore C, Ndao IM, Sax L, Benzinger TLS, Stark SL, Holtzman DM, Fagan AM, Schindler SE, Cruchaga C, Butt OH, Morris JC, Tarr PI, Ances BM, Dantas G. Gut microbiome composition may be an indicator of preclinical Alzheimer’s disease. Sci Transl Med. 2023 Jun 14;15(700):eabo2984. doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abo2984. Epub 2023 Jun 14. PMID: 37315112; PMCID: PMC10680783.
  • E R, Wang Y. Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Improvement of Vascular Cognitive Impairment. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2024;20:1445-1451. Published 2024 Jul 24. doi:10.2147/NDT.S465249