Lifestyle factors and Parkinson's

The causes of Parkinson’s are not yet fully understood. Research so far has uncovered that it’s likely a complex combination of genetic and environmental factors.

Some people also have a higher risk of developing Parkinson’s. We know that the risk increases with age, and some genetic changes make it more likely for someone to develop the condition. Whilst these factors are out of our control, research is beginning to identify how big of an impact our lifestyle choices may have on our risk of Parkinson’s too.

Take a look at some of the lifestyle factors that may play a role in Parkinson’s. You can also read about some of the environmental factors in this blog.

Smoking

Research shows that people who smoke may be less likely to develop Parkinson’s. One study of over 220,000 people across 8 countries, including the UK, found that current smokers were 50% less likely to develop Parkinson’s than people who did not smoke. Former smokers were 20% less likely, and even passive smoking was shown to reduce the risk. However, the reduced Parkinson's risk didn’t outweigh the harmful effects of smoking. Learn more about this study in our news story.

Studies like this have led researchers to investigate whether the ingredients in cigarettes, such as nicotine, could treat Parkinson’s. So far, research in the lab has shown that nicotine may reduce inflammation in the brain and increase energy levels in cells, which could keep brain cells healthy. However, no effect of nicotine has been seen in clinical trials involving people with Parkinson’s. Further studies in people are needed to understand if nicotine has any real benefits for people living with the condition.

Head injuries

Head injuries have been associated with an increased risk of Parkinson’s, although it’s difficult to know whether it's causing or speeding up the onset of the condition.

One study of over 7,000 people found that people who had a brain injury and lost consciousness for over an hour had a much higher risk of developing Parkinson’s. Learn more about this study in our news story.

Repetitive impacts to the head are common in contact sports. A study led by researchers at the University of Glasgow followed Scottish international rugby players and compared them with members of the public. They found that ex-professional rugby players were 3 times more likely to develop neurodegenerative conditions. This builds on research which suggests that ex-professional American footballer players are more likely to die with a neurodegenerative condition such as dementia or Parkinson's than the general population. Learn more about this study in our news story.

Whilst research shows head injuries may increase the risk of Parkinson’s, the evidence isn’t clear cut enough to say that head injuries directly cause the condition to develop. Other factors, such as genetics and the environment will play a role.

Caffeine

Caffeine, found in everyday drinks such as tea and coffee, has been shown to reduce the risk of developing Parkinson’s in several studies.

Many studies, following large numbers of the population have found that people consuming high amounts of caffeinated drinks had a reduced risk of developing Parkinson’s. The effect was not seen in people drinking decaffeinated coffee.

One huge study followed 180,000 people for 13 years. They aimed to investigate whether caffeine could be protective in the early stages of Parkinson’s. They too found that coffee was linked to a reduced risk of Parkinson’s, and demonstrated that the protective effects of coffee were attributed to caffeine. Read this study on the Neurology website.

Diet

There is some evidence that following a healthy, balanced diet could delay the onset of Parkinson’s symptoms. A research study with 225 people with Parkinson’s showed that people who followed a Mediterranean diet tended to develop symptoms of Parkinson’s later than those who didn’t follow the diet. There was a delay in onset of symptoms of as much as 17 years for women, and 8 years for men. We’re funding research that aims to look at this in more detail for people with Parkinson’s. Learn more about this research in our news story.

Recent evidence has also suggested that changes to the gut microbiome could predict Parkinson's long before symptoms develop. Researchers found a consistent 'pattern' of microbes present in the gut of people with Parkinson's, which was also seen in some people who were at higher risk of Parkinson's. Read more in our news story.

Evidence like this suggests that modifying your diet or using pro- or prebiotics might be beneficial for people with and those at higher risk of Parkinson's. We're currently funding a number of projects in this area. Learn more in our blog exploring our latest research on diet and supplements for Parkinson’s. 

Physical activity

A number of studies have found that keeping active can help manage symptoms of Parkinson’s. But more evidence is showing that people at risk of Parkinson’s may also benefit from increasing their physical activity.

We’re funding a study looking at how increasing daily step count might be able to delay the onset of Parkinson’s symptoms for people known to be at risk. The study is part of a global initiative looking at the benefits of physical activity, with research centres in the Netherlands and the US. 

Learn more in our research blog exploring the benefits of physical activity for people with Parkinson’s.

What can we do to reduce the risk of Parkinson’s?

Some of these lifestyle factors may be easier to follow than others. Smoking and drinking caffeine for example both come with their own health risks, which don’t necessarily outweigh the benefits for Parkinson’s. But they can provide real clues for researchers to explore what might be behind some of the reduced risk we’ve seen in population studies, and use this to develop future therapies that might have an impact.

Preventing head injuries by using a helmet when needed, and having a healthy diet and active lifestyle are generally useful practices for all of us. And more evidence is suggesting that they could have a real benefit for people with Parkinson's.