An Update on Preventing and Treating Parkinson’s Disease with a Plant-Based Diet

Since our article on the prevention and treatment of Parkinson’s disease with a plant-based diet was published, research has increased our knowledge of the pathophysiology of Parkinson’s disease, which helps explain why plant-based diets can reduce the risk of Parkinson’s disease. A vegan diet may provide protection from Parkinson’s disease by boosting Parkin and PINK1 expression in the substantia nigra. Vegan diets of modest protein content may also help to minimize oxidative stress of mitochondrial origin by upregulating mitophagy. Further research has also discovered more evidence for the role of the intestinal microbiome, and therefore diet, in the pathogenesis of the disease. Microbiota-targeted interventions, including probiotic Clostridium butyricum, have been recently shown to have favorable effects in Parkinson’s disease by regulating the microbiota-gut-brain axis. In addition, a higher level of dietary antioxidant nutrients, common in plant-based diets, may slow the rate of parkinsonian symptom progression in older adults. A UK study found that those with the greatest adherence to a plant-based diet had a 19% decreased risk of Parkinson’s disease. In addition to reducing the risk of Parkinson’s disease, dietary modifications for diagnosed patients may alleviate non-motor symptoms like constipation, and promoting a healthy diet should become a part of routine care and disease management for PD patients.