Eating Berries Can Lower Parkinson's Risk in Men according to a new Harvard Study by Leo Galland MD

Berry Good News

Can all the great news about the benefits of berries get any better? 

It looks like it just did.

Eating berries and other flavonoid-rich foods can lower Parkinson’s risk, according to a new study from Harvard.

Protection was found with foods high in flavonoids such as berries, apples, oranges, grapefruit, tea and even chocolate. (Discover the Power of Flavonoids: Blueberries Cut High Blood Pressure Risk)

The study explains that berries are the main source of a type of flavonoids called anthocyanins.

Regular consumption of anthocyanins were associated with a lower risk of Parkinson’s disease in both men and women.

“This is the first study in humans to examine the association between flavonoids and risk of developing Parkinson’s disease,” said study author Xiang Gao, MD, PhD, with the Harvard School of Public Health in 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.” (Learn More About Anti-Aging Antioxidants: Why is Nutrition Important?)

The study will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 63rd Annual Meeting in Honolulu in April.

Read the full release below from the AAN:

Eating Berries May Lower Risk of Parkinson’s

New research shows men and women who regularly eat berries may have a lower risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, while men may also further lower their risk by regularly eating apples, oranges and other sources rich in dietary components called flavonoids. The study was released today and will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 63rd Annual Meeting in Honolulu April 9 to April 16, 2011.

Flavonoids are found in plants and fruits and are also known collectively as vitamin P and citrin. They can also be found in berry fruits, chocolate, and citrus fruits such as grapefruit.

The study involved 49,281 men and 80,336 women. Researchers gave participants questionnaires and used a database to calculate intake amount of flavonoids. They then analyzed the association between flavonoid intakes and risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. They also analyzed consumption of five major sources of foods rich in flavonoids: tea, berries, apples, red wine and oranges or orange juice. The participants were followed for 20 to 22 years.

During that time, 805 people developed Parkinson’s disease. In men, the top 20 percent who consumed the most flavonoids were about 40 percent less likely to develop Parkinson’s disease than the bottom 20 percent of male participants who consumed the least amount of flavonoids.

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

“This is the first study in humans to examine the association between flavonoids and risk of developing Parkinson’s disease,” said study author Xiang Gao, MD, PhD, with the Harvard School of Public Health in 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.”

The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health.

Important: Spread the health by forwarding this article to your friends, and sharing on Facebook.

Now we’d like to hear from you…

Do you eat berries or other antioxidant-rich foods?

Do you notice any changes or benefits?

Please let us know your thoughts by posting a comment below.

Wishing You Best Health!

The Pill Advised Team

Source:

The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 22,500 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to promoting the highest quality patient-centered neurologic care. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, migraine, multiple sclerosis, brain injury, epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease.