Lee Swanson Research Update

Anthocyanins May Help Reduce Risk of Parkinson's

February 2011

A diet rich in anthocyanins may help lower the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, according to a new study.

The research, which is due to be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 63rd Annual Meeting in April, suggests that men and women who regularly consume foods that are rich in anthocyanins—like berries—have a lower risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.

Moreover, a flavonoid-rich diet, including apples and oranges, may cut the chances of developing the disease by up to 40% in men.

"This is the first study in humans to examine the association between flavonoids and risk of developing Parkinson’s disease," said the study’s lead author Dr. Xiang Gao, from the Harvard School of Public Health, Boston.

"Our findings suggest that flavonoids, specifically a group called anthocyanins, may have neuroprotective effects. If confirmed, flavonoids may be a natural and healthy way to reduce your risk of developing Parkinson’s disease," they added.

Parkinson’s affects nerve cells in several parts of the brain and central nervous system, particularly those that use the chemical messenger dopamine to control movement—especially the substantia nigra region of the brain.

Flavonoids are secondary plant metabolites found in many fruits and berries. They are known for their pigments and antioxidants, which have been suggested to have neuroprotective properties. A 2007 study by Tarozzi et al suggested that anthocyanins "may play an important role in brain health promotion, due to their ability to increase cell antioxidant capacity."

Dr. Gao noted that previous experimental studies have suggested that flavonoids and flavonoid-rich foods may exert protective effects, which may reduce the risk of Parkinson’s disease. However, they said that to date, an association has not been examined in prospective human studies.

The Harvard researchers conducted a prospective study of nearly 50,000 men and over 80,000 women from the Health Professional Follow-Up Study and Nurse’s Health Study, respectively.

After more than 20 years of following volunteers, the researchers analyzed the association between flavonoid intakes and the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease by looking at the consumption of five major foods rich in flavonoids: tea, berries, apples, red wine and oranges or orange juice.

After adjusting for confounding factors, the researchers found that men in the highest 20% of participants for flavonoid intake had a 35% lower risk of developing Parkinson’s disease risk than those in the lowest 20% for consumption.

In women, there was no relationship between overall flavonoid consumption and the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. But when sub-classes of flavonoids were examined, regular consumption of anthocyanins was found to be associated with a lower risk of Parkinson’s disease in both men and women.

American Academy of Neurology 63rd Annual Meeting Abstract

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