Caffeine May Help Treat Parkinson`s Disease
Baku, August 8 (AZERTAC). Caffeine has previously been linked to a lower risk of developing Parkinson`s disease, but now new research says the ubiquitous stimulant may also help treat disease symptoms.
In a small study of 61 people with Parkinson`s disease, Canadian researchers found that giving the caffeine equivalent of about three cups of coffee per day improved motor symptoms, such as slow movement and stiffness. Interestingly, caffeine didn`t significantly improve daytime sleepiness, a common symptom in Parkinson`s disease.
Parkinson`s disease is a degenerative disorder that causes shaking, stiffness, slow movements and difficulty with balance. More than one million Americans have Parkinson`s disease, and more than 50,000 people are diagnosed with the disease each year, according to the National Parkinson Foundation.
In the current study, published in the Aug. 1 online edition of the journal Neurology, half of the group of Parkinson`s patients was randomly assigned to receive caffeine treatment, while the other half received an inactive placebo.
Using a test called the Epworth Sleepiness Scale score, the researchers found that while there was a reduction in this score for those treated with caffeine, indicating less daytime sleepiness, that decrease didn`t reach statistical significance. Still, Postuma said he believed that caffeine did help improve the level of daytime sleepiness, and that with a bigger study group, a benefit would likely become clearer.
Motor symptoms were judged using the Unified Parkinson`s Disease Rating Scale score. There was a modest overall improvement of 5 points in this score.
Home-brewed coffee tends to have less caffeine than what you get at a coffee shop, Postuma noted. Most people shouldn`t go over 400 mg to 500 mg a day (about four to five cups), he advised. And, if you don`t want caffeine to interrupt your sleep, try to have your last cup of coffee with lunch.
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