What We Know About Coffee and Parkinson’s Disease

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Across the globe, more than 10 million people suffer from Parkinson’s disease, a neurological disorder that leads to unintended and uncontrollable movements such as shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with balance and coordination.

Scientists are working to better understand the mechanisms involved in Parkinson’s disease. At a basic level, they know that the disease occurs when nerve cells in the basal ganglia, an area of the brain that controls movement, become impaired or die. Most researchers believe a mix of genetic and environmental factors trigger the disease.

There is no way to prevent or cure Parkinson’s, but scientists have identified a simple way to reduce the risk of developing the disease: drinking coffee. A substantial body of evidence finds that coffee drinkers have a lower risk of developing Parkinson’s disease compared to people who don’t drink coffee.

One large study followed more than 100,000 men and women for more than 10 years. Over the course of the study, 288 participants developed Parkinson’s disease. Men who consumed the most coffee—up to five cups a day—were significantly less likely to develop Parkison’s disease compared to those who consumed the least amount of coffee. For women, the relationship between coffee consumption and risk of Parkinson's disease was U‐shaped, with the lowest risk observed at moderate caffeine consumption—one to three cups of coffee per day.

An earlier study followed more than 8,000 Japanese-American men for 30 years; 102 participants developed Parkinson’s disease over the course of the study. After adjusting the data for other factors, including age, researchers found that participants who did not drink coffee were two to three times more likely to develop Parkinson’s disease compared to those who report drinking coffee.

More recent studies have investigated the mechanisms at work. A study published last year found that caffeine consumption helps to prevent the inflammation associated with Parkinson’s disease. Researchers also pointed out that caffeine consumption can increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, therefore, the researchers suggest limiting increased caffeine consumption to people with a genetic predisposition to Parkinson’s disease.

Increased caffeine intake may be especially important for Asian populations, who are more likely to carry the genes related to Parkinson’s disease, according to a study published last year in The Lancet.

Finally, despite clear evidence that caffeine consumption can help to prevent Parkinson’s disease, there is no evidence that coffee or caffeine helps to reduce symptoms for people who have already developed Parkinson’s disease, according to a study published earlier this year in the Annals of Neurology.

The take-home message: The evidence is clear that regular, caffeinated coffee consumption reduces the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. This is especially true for people genetically predisposed to developing the disease.