6 Surprising Ways to Reduce Your Parkinson's Risk
The best-known risk factors for Parkinson's disease tend to be things we can't change -- being male or over age 65, for example. But like most diseases, Parkinson's is complicated, and over the past decade or so, researchers have uncovered some surprising factors you can control to cut your risk of developing the disease.
1. Drink coffee.
Can coffee actually be good for you? Several studies suggest so. In one, researchers who analyzed data from the Honolulu Heart Study found a startling decrease in Parkinson's disease incidence among men who drank the most coffee. In this study, 8,004 Japanese-American men enrolled between 1965 and 1968, and researchers followed the group for 30 years. They found that those who didn't drink coffee were two to three times more likely to develop Parkinson's than coffee drinkers. When they compared nondrinkers to the heaviest coffee drinkers (more than 28 ounces a day back in the 1960s), the nondrinkers were five times more likely to develop the condition.
What to do: There's growing evidence that moderate amounts of coffee can help prevent other health problems, including diabetes, liver damage, gallstones, and Alzheimer's. So if you're a java junkie, go ahead -- your coffee vice might actually do you some good. About 200 to 300 milligrams per day -- that's one to three 8-ounce cups, depending on the coffee and how it's brewed -- should be enough to provide a benefit. Each 1-ounce shot of espresso gives you about 50 to 75 milligrams. Keep in mind that large amounts of caffeine can also cause dependence and withdrawal headaches and can contribute to bone loss. Some people who are sensitive to caffeine may have spikes in blood pressure or heart arrhythmias. As with most things, moderation is best.
2. Boost your vitamin D
Although there's not yet a clear cause-and-effect relationship, several studies have found that a majority of people with early Parkinson's are deficient in vitamin D. In a study from 2011, researchers checked levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in stored blood samples and found that nearly 70 percent of Parkinson's patient samples had low levels (in this case, under 30 ng/mL, or nanograms per milliliter) at the start of the study. As time passed, the patients' disease progressed but their vitamin D levels didn't go further down, so experts believe it's not likely that vitamin D supplements would help someone already diagnosed with Parkinson's. But having healthy levels of vitamin D is certainly a good thing -- and it might act as "insurance" against Parkinson's if you're at high risk.
What to do: The sunshine vitamin is essential for bone health and may also protect against high blood pressure, cancer, and other conditions. Most adults need 600 International Units (IUs) of vitamin D per day; those over age 70 need 800 IU. Oily fish and fortified dairy products are good food sources. The sun's UV rays stimulate vitamin D production in the body, but it's an unreliable source in many parts of the world or at certain times of year.
How do you know if you're getting enough vitamin D? It's becoming more common for doctors to test for it (though not everyone agrees that's necessary), so at your next visit you might want to ask. Ideal levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D range between 50 and 100 nmol/L (nanomols per liter). As always, check with your doctor before you take any supplements -- vitamin D accumulates in the body, and it's possible to get too much.
3. Add berries to the mix.
In Parkinson's disease, certain types of nerves in the brain get damaged. One source of damage in the body is from what scientists call oxidative stress (think of it as the body's equivalent of oxygen attacking iron and forming rust). There's some evidence that this oxidation process is involved in Parkinson's disease. Antioxidants are chemicals that fight this process and protect cells from damage.
Turns out that berries have a lot of antioxidants, so researchers at Harvard School of Public Health decided to take a closer look. Berries -- and possibly other brightly colored foods -- may protect against Parkinson's. The team mined data from the large ongoing Health Professionals study and found that men who ate the most flavonoids were 35 percent less likely to develop Parkinson's disease, compared to men who ate the lowest amounts. Flavonoids are a large family of compounds with antioxidant properties found in many foods including berries, tea, citrus, soy, onions, and herbs. When researchers looked closer, they found that anthocyanins, a class of flavonoids that give berries their bright red and purple colors, helped both men and women lower their risk of Parkinson's.
What to do: Add at least a serving a day to your daily diet to get the flavonoid benefits. One easy way: Toss a handful in your cereal bowl each morning. Dried blueberries are available year-round, or you can freeze or dehydrate your own during peak season. Berries are delicious and packed with vitamins, so there's really no downside. They're also a good source of several B vitamins and vitamin C (another antioxidant).
