Fwd: Milk and Parkinson's

April 22, 2005

The Hidden Cause of Parkinson's Disease Lurking in Your Fridge

Middle-aged men who drink one or two glasses of pasteurized milk a

day may double their risk of Parkinson's disease later in life,

according to a study. Researchers are uncertain of what is causing

the link, whether an ingredient or contaminant in the milk, but

believe it is not related to calcium.

The 30-year study followed over 7,500 men between the ages of 45 and

68 who were part of the Honolulu Heart Program. During the study,

128 men developed Parkinson's disease, which is a degenerative

disease of the nervous system.

Specifically, those who drank more than 16 ounces of milk each day

were 2.3 times more likely to develop Parkinson's than those who

didn't drink any milk. During each 12-month period, 6.9 cases of

Parkinson's would be expected per 10,000 people who drank no milk;

however, among those who drank more than 16 ounces daily, 14.9 cases

per 10,000 people would be expected. Overall, however, researchers

pointed out that the Parkinson's risk was still very low, even among

the men who drank a lot of milk.

The findings are in line with a previous study that found eating a

lot of dairy products increased the risk of Parkinson's in men (the

findings did not apply to women). In the current study, no link

between calcium and Parkinson's was found, so researchers believe

another component or contaminant of milk is responsible. Further

studies are needed to determine what that component may be.

Neurology March 22, 2005;64(6):1047-1051

The Hidden Cause of Parkinson's Disease Lurking in Your Fridge

Middle-aged men who drink one or two glasses of pasteurized milk a day may double their risk of Parkinson's disease later in life, according to a study. Researchers are uncertain of what is causing the link, whether an ingredient or contaminant in the milk, but believe it is not related to calcium.

The 30-year study followed over 7,500 men between the ages of 45 and 68 who were part of the Honolulu Heart Program. During the study, 128 men developed Parkinson's disease, which is a degenerative disease of the nervous system.

Specifically, those who drank more than 16 ounces of milk each day were 2.3 times more likely to develop Parkinson's than those who didn't drink any milk. During each 12-month period, 6.9 cases of Parkinson's would be expected per 10,000 people who drank no milk; however, among those who drank more than 16 ounces daily, 14.9 cases per 10,000 people would be expected. Overall, however, researchers pointed out that the Parkinson's risk was still very low, even among the men who drank a lot of milk.

The findings are in line with a previous study that found eating a lot of dairy products increased the risk of Parkinson's in men (the findings did not apply to women). In the current study, no link between calcium and Parkinson's was found, so researchers believe another component or contaminant of milk is responsible. Further studies are needed to determine what that component may be.

Neurology March 22, 2005;64(6):1047-1051

Dr. Mercola's Comment:

Earlier this year I wrote about all the steps you can take to avoid the 10 most common toxins in the water, food and air we breathe. That's what drew me to this study that found middle-aged men may more than double their risk of succumbing to Parkinson's disease if they drink lots of milk every day (compared to those who don't drink it at all).

Scientists couldn't identify the exact ingredient in milk that triggers Parkinson's in middle-aged men. However, they were able to conclude that it wasn't calcium, and thought it was either a contaminant in the milk or another ingredient. Perhaps environmental toxins, which are clearly linked to Parkinson's, are now in our milk supply and are causing this phenomenon (for instance, in June 2004 it was found that California milk may be contaminated with rocket fuel.)

I strongly suspect that pasteurization was the "other ingredient" that contributed to Parkinson's. Pasteurization is thought to improve milk, but it actually distorts the three-dimensional shape of the proteins in the milk and converts them into foreign proteins that can actually harm your body. The study used pasteurized milk, and I suspect the results would be dramatically different if raw milk were used.

If you or your family currently drink milk, it is important for you to find healthy raw milk sources. Less than 1 percent of the milk consumed in America is raw, which is most unfortunate as raw milk can be a highly nutritious, health-promoting food (unlike pasteurized milk).

In fact, I have seen so many of my patients recover their health with raw milk that I perceive this to be one of the most profoundly healthy foods you can consume. To that end, I strongly recommend you visit the Real Milk Web site to locate a farmer in your area who produces raw milk products.

Tips for Preventing Parkinson's Disease

Now that I've finished commenting on the newly discovered risk factor for Parkinson's, I'd like to review the other ways to reduce your risk of this disease, and prevention is really the best route to take. Here's what can help:

· Regular exercise is one of the best ways to protect against the onset of symptoms of Parkinson's disease.

· Avoid pesticide and insecticide exposure (as well as exposure to other environmental toxins like solvents). This is particularly important as summer approaches and mosquito fogging increases.

· Eating more vegetables, which are high in folic acid, is another highly effective step to prevent Parkinson's disease.

· Make sure your body has healthy levels of iron (neither too much nor too little).

· Consider coenzyme Q10, which may help to fight the disease.

For more tips check out my past article on How to Prevent Parkinson's Disease.