Eating foods rich in vitamin C and E, such as broccoli, seeds and peppers, can help reduce the risk of developing Parkinson’s by a third, reveals a new study.
Researchers at the University of Milano-Bicocca monitored 41,000 adults in Sweden for an average of 18 years, recording their vitamin intake, BMI and activity levels.
None of the participants had Parkinson’s at the beginning of the study, but by the end, 465 people had been diagnosed with the disease.
Those in the top third of vitamin intake were 32 percent less likely to have the disease, according to the researchers.
With Parkinson’s disease, the brain doesn’t produce enough dopamine – the hormone that controls movement – leading to problems with speech, walking and balance.
Antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E, are believed to help neutralize unstable molecules and the resulting oxidative stress that can lead to dopamine loss.
“Our large study found that vitamin C and vitamin E were linked to a 32 percent lower risk of Parkinson’s disease,” said lead author, Dr. Essi Hantikainen.
Antioxidants, found in abundance in vitamins C and E, are believed to help neutralize unstable molecules and the resulting oxidative stress that depletes dopamine
Devastating disorder is a growing problem worldwide. Famous sufferers include Sir Billy Connolly, Sweet Caroline singer Neil Diamond and actor Michael J Fox
Vitamin C is found in a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, including broccoli, peppers, sweet potatoes, oranges and strawberries.
Broccoli is also abundant in vitamin E – along with olive oil, nuts, seeds, spinach and cereals – and combined they have an even greater effect in reducing Parkinson’s risk.
Devastating disorder is a growing problem worldwide.
Famous sufferers include Sir Billy Connolly, Sweet Caroline singer Neil Diamond and actor Michael J Fox.
Dr. Hantikainen said that improving the diet is a known way of improving overall health – but research on exactly how it affects Parkinson’s risk has been mixed.
He continued: ‘The possibility of reducing the risk of Parkinson’s disease simply with the food we eat is exciting news.’
In the study, participants answered questionnaires about medical history, height, weight and lifestyle factors, such as diet and amount of exercise. Your BMI was also calculated.
They were asked to report how often they had consumed various foods and drinks in the past year, including portion sizes. Supplements were not considered.
For the consumption of vitamins, they were divided into three equal groups, depending on their intake.
During the project, 465 people were diagnosed with Parkinson’s – with those in the upper third 32 percent less prone to the disease than those in the lower levels.
This occurred after adjusting for factors such as age, sex, BMI and physical activity. Furthermore, the results were practically the same – for both vitamins.
Vitamin C is found in a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, including broccoli, peppers, sweet potatoes, oranges and strawberries
Broccoli is also abundant in vitamin E – along with olive oil, nuts, seeds, spinach and cereals and, combined, they have an even greater effect in reducing the risk of Parkinson’s
Dr. Hantikainen said that he underlines the importance of increasing the amounts of healthy foods that we consume to protect our health.
But he also pointed out that excessive consumption of some vitamins can be harmful. For example, excess vitamin E in supplements has been linked to some types of cancer or stroke.
Dr. Hantikainen added, “More research is needed to investigate the exact amounts of vitamins C and E that may be most beneficial in reducing the risk of Parkinson’s.”
The results were published in the journal Neurology.