Men who regularly consume foods rich in flavonoids, such as berries, apples, certain vegetables, tea and red wine, may significantly reduce their risk for developing Parkinson's disease, according to a study published in the journal Neurology this week that saw no such effect among women.
Flavonoids are naturally occurring, bioactive compounds present in many plant-based foods and drinks.
In this study, the main protective effect appeared to come from a subclass of flavonoids known as anthocyanins, which are present in berries such as blackcurrants and blackberries, and other fruits, and also certain vegetables, such as aubergines.
The research was led by Dr Xiang Gao, a nutrition research scientist at Harvard School of Public Health in the US, and Dr Aedin Cassidy, a professor of nutrition at University of East Anglia's Norwich Medical School in the UK.
The study adds weight to the growing body of evidence that regular consumption of certain flavonoids may lower the risk for developing a wide range of human diseases, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, dementia, and some cancers.
However, it is the first to show the compounds may protect neurons against brain diseases such as Parkinson's, as Cassidy explained in a statement:
"This is the first study in humans to look at the associations between the range of flavonoids in the diet and the risk of developing Parkinson's disease and our findings suggest that a sub-class of flavonoids called anthocyanins may have neuroprotective effects."
Parkinson's is a neurological disease where the death of certain cells in the brain means it does not have enough dopamine, which in turn affects ability to control movement so that it takes longer to do things.
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