Is it the caffeine in coffee that helps prevent Parkinson's?
I recently read an article on caring.com saying that coffee can reduce your risk of Parkinson's Disease. My question is, is it the caffeine in coffee that is preventive, or some other ingredient? If it's the caffeine, would caffeine in tea or other sources count, too? Would it help if I'm already in early-stage Parkinson's? Thanks!
Expert Answer
The Parkinson's Disease research community isn't really sure about the answer to the question as to the reason for why coffee drinkers are less likely to develop Parkinson's disease, although similar reductions in risk have not yet been noted in other caffeinated beverages. Thus, we think that there is more than just the caffeine that results some potential "protective" effect of coffee. To further answer your question, there is no data to support the thought that coffee may slow down the disease progression once someone already has Parkinson's disease.