- People with Parkinson's disease take levodopa every day orally.
- Doctors often give other medicines to help levodopa work.
- Some added medicines can change the gut bacteria balance.
- Gut bacteria live in the intestines and affect medicines.
- When some bacteria die, different bacteria grow more quickly.
- One kind of bacteria can break down levodopa before brain.
- This change can make levodopa reach the brain less.
- Scientists say doctors should study gut bacteria and drugs.
Difficult words
- levodopa — a medicine for people with Parkinson's disease
- bacterium — very small living things in the bodybacteria, gut bacteria
- intestine — the tube in the body after the stomachintestines
- break down — to make a substance separate into parts
- reach — to arrive at a place or target
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Do you take medicine every day?
- Have you heard of gut bacteria?
- Do you know where the intestines are?
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