A new study says that at least two servings per week of strawberries or blueberries can help lower a person’s risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. The study showed that women and men who consumed berries at least two times per week were almost 25% less apt to develop the condition than those who ate less than a serving each month.
It is not known how the fruits might help lower the chances of the disease developing, but berries are plentiful in the antioxidants called flavonoids. Flavonoids might protect cells in the brain from being damaged. The antioxidants can be found in vegetables and fruits.
When data was examined in depth by the researchers in relationship to the two sexes, the benefit seemed to be far greater for men than women. The men with the most flavonoids consumed in their diet were 40% less apt to develop Parkinson’s disease than those men who ate the least. Source of flavonoids in the men who participated in the study included berries, apples, red wine and tea.
Parkinson’s is a neurologic disease that is progressive and occurs when brain cells that produce dopamine are destroyed slowly. Symptoms include difficulty in walking and tremors.
Over 130,000 women and men participated in the study. Over 800 people from the study developed Parkinson’s during the follow up of 20 years.
