Misc LevoDopa neurotoxic or neuroprotective?

[Lopez]

L-dopa is a anti-parkinson agent, it basically acts as a precursor to dopamine, but unlike tyrosine it can cross the blood-brain-barrier. personally i find it to have an intriguing psychoactive effect, it is both sedating and stimulating for me, and makes everything more enjoyable (unless my dose lasts until night-time in which case i experience paranoia). my main reason for taking this drug, i may add, is not only for the mood boost but also because it increases serum growth hormone, allowing me to recover after intense lifting sessions and it also helps me burn off some excess fat.

anyway i've always had one fear while taking this drug - losing dopaminergic cells in my brain, but i recently found a study on it showing that it actually HINDERED the destruction of dopaminergic neurons in the brain. link: http://journals.lww.com/neurotodayo...evodopa_Neurotoxic__New_Data___and_the.3.aspx

now i have *some* knowledge as of how these pathways work but i'm still confused on the topic. i know that the big thing here is oxidation of the neurons (in which case a proper diet could help with neurotoxicity) but some studies show that they actually slow down the disease. interesting, but complicated. can anyone shed some light on this subject?

thanks in advance