Phytochemicals and antioxidants in foods such as berries, cocoa and red wine could reduce the risk of mortality from Parkinson's disease, researchers say. This emerges from a new study that shows thatFlavonoids positive for patientswith neurodegenerative diseases. Additionally, consuming more flavonoids before diagnosis reduced the risk of death in men but not women.
Parkinson's disease is caused by the brain not producing enough dopamine. This leads to tremors, stiffness and problems with balance. However, adding a few servings of flavonoid-rich foods to the diet each week could potentially be a simple way for sufferers to improve their life expectancy. This is what the study authors claim, who observed how the consumption of flavonoids and anthocyanins reduced the mortality rate in the patients studied. However, the team noted that wine consumption should not exceed the amount specified in the dietary guidelines. This usually corresponds to one drink per day for women and two for men. For this study, researchers analyzed data from 599 women and 652 men who had recently developed Parkinson's disease. Participants reported how often they consumed flavonoid-rich foods such as tea, apples, berries, oranges and red wine.
The study results showed that with higher intake, the antioxidants in foods increased patients' chances of survival by 70 percent. Study participants in the highest group consumed about 673 milligrams (mg) of flavonoids daily, while those in the lowest group consumed about 134 mg. The researchers also analyzed the effects of individual flavonoids. They found that those in the top 25 percent for consuming anthocyanins, found in red wine and berries, had a 66 percent higher survival rate. Additionally, the top 25 percent consumers of flavan-3-ols, found in apples, tea and wine, had a 69 percent higher survival rate compared to the lowest 25 percent. According to the researchers, flavonoids are antioxidants in foods. Therefore, it is possible that they reduce the level of chronic neuroinflammation.This studyshows that flavonoids interact with enzyme activities and slow neuronal loss and may protect against cognitive decline and depression.
