Drinking coffee could cut risk of developing Parkinson's according to new research

10 June 2010

New research published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease found that people who regularly drink 2 to 3 cups of coffee a day, cut their risk of developing Parkinson's by a quarter.

Although the benefits of drinking coffee have been suggested before, this study provides the most compelling evidence yet of a protective effect.

What the research team found

Researchers at the University of Lisbon in Portugal looked at 26 published studies that had explored the relationship between drinking coffee and risk of Parkinson's.

They found a direct link between the amount of coffee drunk and the degree of protection against developing Parkinson's - those who drank more coffee were more protected.

Overall, those who drank 2 to 3 cups of coffee a day decreased their risk of developing the condition by 25%. But interestingly, when the researchers looked only at female coffee drinkers, this fell to 14%.

While this study reveals an interesting relationship we don't know whether it is caffeine that is responsible for this protection, something else in coffee, or a combination of different factors.

What the study means for people with Parkinson's

Kieran Breen, our Director of Research and Development commented on the study:

"These results represent the strongest evidence so far that caffeine may have some protective effects against developing Parkinson's. But what this study doesn't tell us is if drinking coffee can slow the progression of the condition once it has begun.

"We need to tease apart exactly what is happening inside the brain before we know whether coffee or caffeine will be useful in developing new treatments for Parkinson's.

"Although these results are interesting it's too soon for us to recommend people with Parkinson’s up their caffeine intake, especially as drinking too much coffee may cause other health problems. Whereas we know that following a healthy, balanced diet and taking regular exercise can help people stay active and independent for longer."

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