Targeted nutritional interventions have recently been discovered to have a role in the management of many chronic diseases, from the obvious like diabetes and heart disease, to the less obvious neurologic illnesses. The purpose of this post is to focus on the current research regarding nutrition and Parkinson’s. 



This research is still in its infancy, but a recent review article published in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience has consolidated what is known to date, what is unknown, and the proposed mechanisms of action.



First, here is a diagram of food groups and specific nutrients that have been studied and found to be in the following three categories: neuroprotective (green), conflicting in results (yellow) and neurodegenerative (red). 







Red – Neurodegenerative 



* Milk



Yellow – Conflicting evidence



* MUFA – monounsaturated fatty acids* PUFA – polyunsaturated fatty acids* Vitamins C, D, E and Riboflavin (B2)* Carbohydrates* Meat



Green – Neuroprotective



* Vegetables* Fruit* Carotenoids (yellow and orange pigment in fruits and vegetables)* Genistein (found in fava beans, soy beans and coffee beans)* Tea* Caffeine* Resveratrol (in wine and grapes)



Now let’s get specific! We’re focusing on research related to Parkinson’s Disease.



So what is Parkinson’s Disease?



Parkinson’s Disease is characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta. Dopamine receptors are central to many neurological processes including motivation, pleasure, cognition, memory, learning, and fine motor control, as well as modulation of neuroendocrine signaling.



Loss of Dopamine



Dopamine Molecule



Thus, Parkinson’s Disease clinically manifests as slowed movements, difficulties with balance, tremor, eventually with psychiatric symptoms such as depression.



Both genetic and environmental factors contribute to disease onset and progression.



Inflammation linked to Disease



Most involve mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation, or oxidative stress on the endoplasmic reticulum (it helps create and package proteins in cells).



Neuroprotective mechanisms of nutrition would thus involve protecting mitochondria, reducing inflammation, and reducing oxidative stress on the endoplasmic reticulum. Nutrients that are neurodegenerative would have the opposite effect.



We have ample evidence of nutrition’s ability to cause potent inflammatory or anti-inflammatory effects. However, recent research has gotten more specific.



Neurodegenerative



Milk (not cheese or dairy)







The first group studied and the only one found to be actively neurodegenerative is milk.



This was found to be of stronger effect in men that in women. One proposed mechanism has been dairy’s effect of lowering one’s uric acid levels which have been found to be inversely correlated with the risk of Parkinson’s Disease.



It is additionally proposed that possible dopaminergic neurotoxins such as pesticides or polychlorinated biphenyls (the most commonly known is BPA) that are found in dairy could be a contributing factor.







This link was theorized by post-mortem studies of the brains of Parkinson’s Disease patients and finding increase...