Does diet protect against Parkinson's disease? Part 1 – vitamin E

Whilst Parkinson's disease (PD) remains incurable recent evidence has suggested that diet may have a role in delaying the onset of symptoms and/or reducing the risk of developing the disease. This paper is the first in a series on diet and PD and outlines the effect that vitamin E may have on the prevalence of the disease. Results have indicated that a doubled intake of vitamin E has been associated with a reduction in disease incidence of up to 70 per cent, possibly due to reducing the effects of oxidative stress. Raised intake of peanuts and salad dressing has also associated with a reduced risk of PD. Although no guaranteed protection can be conferred by vitamin E intake it can be recommended that individuals at risk of PD could increase their intake as it may be of benefit and is unlikely to be harmful.