Parkinson's disease may result from oxidative damage to neurons induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS).  For that reason, antioxidants are expected to render some neuroprotection by neutralizing ROS and help lower risk of Parkinson's disease.

A case-control study recently released by Japanese scientists suggests that antioxidant vitamins may help lower risk of Parkinson's disease.  For the study, the scientists surveyed 249 patients during the first six years of Parkinson disease and compared their dietary data with those from 368 controls who did not have any neurodegenerative disease.

The scientists found high intake of vitamin E and beta-carotene was associated with 55% and 44% reduced risk of Parkinson's disease, respectively.

They did not find any association between vitamin C, alpha-carotene, crytoxanthin, green or yellow or other vegetables, or fruits and risk of Parkinson disease.  Some other studies indicate that vitamin C supplements may lower risk of Parkinson's disease.

Vitamin E supplements can be purchased over the Internet and local health stores.  β-carotene can be available as a supplement or obtained from some vegetables.  (David Liu)

Miyake Y, Fukushima W, Tanaka K, Sasaki S, Kiyohara C, Tsuboi Y, Yamada T, Oeda T, Miki T, Kawamura N, Sakae N, Fukuyama H, Hirota Y, Nagai M; Fukuoka Kinki Parkinson's Disease Study Group.  Dietary intake of antioxidant vitamins and risk of Parkinson's disease: a case-control study in Japan.  Eur J Neurol. 2011 Jan;18(1):106-13. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-1331.2010.03088.x.