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Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's disease (AD) and affects millions of people worldwide.
Studies have shown that the prevalence of Parkinson's disease in european and American countries over 60 years old reaches 1%, and the prevalence of parkinson's disease exceeds 4% over 80 years old; the prevalence of people over 65 years old in China is 1.7%. Experts from the World Health Organization predict that by 2030, the number of people with Parkinson's disease in China will reach 8 million.
Prevention of Parkinson's disease is essential. Today (April 11) is World Parkinson's Day, so let's share some of the content related to Parkinson's disease prevention.
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Dietary nutrition and Parkinson's disease
Several studies have confirmed that genetic and underlying environmental factors appear to be related to the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease, such as oxidative stress levels, mitochondrial dysfunction, homocysteine levels, and neuroinflammation.
Among the various environmental factors, dietary nutrition is one of the most studied areas of modifiable factors. We will focus on sharing relationships between specific nutrients and food types, alcoholic beverages, uric acid and dietary patterns and Parkinson's disease.
Underlying factors associated with Parkinson's disease (Image source: References[3])
PART.01
Dietary fats
Studies have shown that excessive intake of N-6 series polyunsaturated fatty acids may have a negative impact on Parkinson's disease, while N-3 series polyunsaturated fatty acids have a protective effect on Parkinson's disease.
This may be related to inflammatory pathways, as well as the intake of fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamin E, as well as fats from vegetable sources. But after adjusting for confounding factors, such as smoking and caffeine intake, the researchers found that the effects of polyunsaturated fatty acids were likely to be smaller.
It is recommended that in daily life, do not eat too much corn oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil and other oils, you can increase the intake of rapeseed oil, olive oil, camellia oil in an appropriate amount, while eating walnuts, almonds, deep-sea fish and other foods in moderation to balance the intake of different fatty acids.
PART.02
vitamin
The risk of developing Parkinson's disease may be related to the concentration of homocysteine, folic acid, vitamin B6 and/or vitamin B12 in the blood plasma and the associated dietary intake.
Moreover, various nutrients also interact with each other, such as vitamin B6, which plays an integral role in homocysteine metabolism, glutathione, and dopamine synthesis.
PART.03
Minerals
A study published in the journal Nutrients noted that excessive intake of non-heme iron was associated with an increased risk of Parkinson's disease.
Non-heme iron is mainly found in plant foods and dairy products, accounting for the vast majority of dietary iron, such as wheat, millet, oats, black rice; green beans, soybeans, dried soybeans, waist beans, red beans; broccoli, spinach, kale, asparagus and so on.
In general, foods with a high content of non-heme iron should not be used as the first choice for iron supplements. Heme iron from animal sources is preferred for iron supplementation, such as lean pork, pork liver, duck blood, lean beef, oysters and other foods.
PART.04
uric acid
Although studies have suggested a correlation between higher uric acid levels and a lower risk of Parkinson's disease, increased urate may be beneficial in slowing the course of the disease. But whether this correlation has a causal relationship remains unclear and requires further research.
PART.05
Specific foods
Currently, studies have suggested that consuming milk may increase the risk of Parkinson's disease. However, there are also epidemiological studies that point to uncertainties about the correlation between dairy products and Parkinson's disease, which may be related to factors such as calcium, vitamin D or fat in dairy products that can lower uric acid.
It has also been found that an increase in caffeine intake may be associated with a reduced risk of developing Parkinson's disease.
PART.06
Dietary patterns
Over the years, there have been many studies reporting that the use of MIND (Brain Healthy Diet) and Mediterranean dietary patterns can help with the prevention and control of Parkinson's disease.
Healthy eating patterns are conducive to the intake of multiple nutrients, and the various nutrients can work together to prevent the occurrence of disease.
To a large extent, following a healthy eating pattern not only allows for balanced nutrition, but also contributes to the balance of the intestinal flora. There seems to be an inextricable relationship between the gut microbiota and Parkinson's disease.
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Intestinal flora with Parkinson's disease
Although the average age of onset of Parkinson's disease is around 60 years old, patients may have typical pathological changes in the intestines as early as 20 years before diagnosis.
From some recent studies, the intestine is closely related to Parkinson's disease.
For example, a case-control study published in Brain, a well-known journal in the field of neurology, suggests that Parkinson's disease may have two types, originating in the brain and intestines.
This speculation may explain why symptoms vary greatly from person to patient with Parkinson's disease. In some patients, in addition to symptoms such as limb tremor, stiffness, and impaired motor function, gastrointestinal disorders may also appear, such as constipation and diarrhea.
There are also studies that suggest that health problems such as constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, and inflammatory bowel disease may be related to an increased risk of Parkinson's disease. The research team notes that for Parkinson's disease, which "originates in the gut," the composition of the gut microbiota may be an interesting direction.
The gut microbiome is a collective of bacteria that live in the human gut; it is not something we are born with. There are many factors related to the balance of the gut microbiota, such as diet, medication and exercise.
In addition to diet, the use of antibiotics may also be related to the increased prevalence of Parkinson's disease, because excessive use of antibiotics can interfere with the body's normal flora and lead to an imbalance in the composition of the intestinal flora.
A study published in Movement Disorders, a specialized journal published in the field of Parkinson's disease research, found that the overuse of some commonly used oral antibiotics, especially broad-spectrum antibiotics that target multiple bacteria and fungi at the same time, can increase the risk of Parkinson's disease, and this effect can be as long as 10 to 15 years.
The results of the correlation analysis showed that antifungal drugs and sulfonamides were used within 1 to 5 years before diagnosis, and antiaerobic antibiotics and tetracycline were used 10 to 15 years before diagnosis, and the increase in use was correlated with the increased risk of Parkinson's disease. Among them, macrolide antibiotics and lincomycin antibiotics were most strongly associated with parkinson's disease risk.
The researchers concluded that the hope can draw attention to the use of antibiotics. In addition to paying attention to the issue of antibiotic resistance, it should also be taken into account that they have a potential long-term effect on the development of the gut microbiota and certain diseases.
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In general, the overuse of antibiotics destroys the gut microbiota in the body, which may promote the development of Parkinson's disease. Following a good dietary pattern not only contributes to adequate nutrition, but also maintains a balanced and healthy gut flora that prevents disease.
It is recommended that when you have symptoms of intestinal discomfort, adjust your diet and lifestyle as soon as possible, and if there are long-term symptoms of discomfort, it is recommended to seek medical treatment in time to prevent more serious diseases.
Image source: 123RF
Resources
[1] Tuomas Mertsalmi et al., (2019) Antibiotic exposure and risk of Parkinson's disease in Finland: A nationwide case‐control study. Movement Disorders. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/mds.27924
[2] Jacob Horsager, et al., (2020). Brain-first versus body-first Parkinson's disease: a multimodal imaging case-control study. Brain, DOI: 10.1093/brain/awaa238
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