Berries counteract the neurotoxic effects of pesticides in vitro, potentially explaining why berry consumption is associated with lower risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.
Berries vs. Pesticides in Parkinson’s Disease
In the original description of Parkinson’s disease, by none other than Dr. James Parkinson himself, he described a characteristic feature of the disease: constipation—torpid or lethargic bowels, which may precede the diagnosis by many years. In fact, bowel movement frequency may be predictive. Men with less than daily bowel movements were four times more likely to develop Parkinson’s an average of 12 years later. Now, this could just be a really early symptom of the disease, tied to decreased water intake. Many Parkinson’s patients report never really feeling very thirsty; maybe that led to the constipation. Or, alternately, the constipation may increase the risk of Parkinson’s disease, as constipation results in a longer stay of the waste in the bowel, and, thus, more absorption of potential neurotoxicants—neurotoxins from the diet.
Yes, there are two studies suggesting an association between constipation and Parkinson’s, but at the same time, there are 38 studies linking the disease to pesticide exposure. And, by now, more than a hundred studies linking pesticides to an increased risk of up to 80%.
Now, many of these studies are on occupational exposure—like farmworkers, who may reduce their risk of Parkinson’s by wearing gloves and washing their clothes. But Parkinson’s has also been linked to ambient exposure. Approximately a billion pounds of pesticides are applied annually in the U.S., and just living or working in high-spray areas may increase Parkinson’s risk. And the same with using pesticides in the home. I didn’t realize how common household pesticide use was, but this study out of UCLA suggests it might not be such a good idea.
Pesticides may cause DNA mutations that increase susceptibility for the disease, or play a more direct role. See, many neurodegenerative diseases appear to be caused by the buildup of misfolded proteins. In Alzheimer’s, it’s the protein amyloid beta; in Creutzfeldt–Jakob and Mad Cow disease, it’s prions; in Huntington’s, it’s a different protein; and in Parkinson’s disease, a protein called alpha synuclein, and a variety of pesticides—8 out of the 12 they tested—were able to trigger synuclein accumulation in human nerve cells, at least in a petri dish.
The buildup of synuclein may play a role in killing off specialized nerve cells in the brain—70% of which are gone by the time the first symptoms arise. Pesticides are so good at killing these neurons that pesticides are used to try to recreate Parkinson’s disease in lab animals. Is there any way to stop the process? Well, there’s no drugs yet that can prevent this protein aggregation.
What about flavonoid phytonutrients, natural compounds found in certain fruits and vegetables? They can cross the blood-brain barrier, and may have neuroprotective effects. So, they tested 48 different plant compounds to see if any could stop the clumping of synuclein proteins into the little fibers that clog up the cell. And they found a variety of flavonoids that can not only inhibit the spider web-like formation of synuclein fibers, but some could even break them up. Turns out flavonoids may actually bind to synuclein proteins and stabilize them.
Here’s some healthy brain cells; the arrows are pointing to the neurites, the arms that nerve cells use to communicate with each other. Here’s after exposure to a pesticide, though. The cell is damaged; retracts its little arms. But if you first incubate the nerve cells with a blueberry extract, the nerve cells appear better able to withstand the pesticide effects. So, this implies that flavonoids in our diet may be combating Parkinson’s disease as we speak, and healthy diets may be effective in preventing and even “curing” the disorder.
But these were all petri dish experiments in a laboratory. Is there any evidence that people eating blueberries are protected from Parkinson’s? There was this study, published forever ago, that suggested the consumption of blueberries and strawberries was protective. But this was a tiny study, and the results were not statistically significant—which is why I never brought up the study before. But that was the best we had, until now.
Those eating a variety of phytonutrients were less likely to develop Parkinson’s disease; specifically, higher intake of berries were associated with significantly lower risk. The accompanying editorial, “An Apple a Day to Prevent Parkinson Disease,” concluded that more research is necessary, but until then, an apple a day might be a good idea. Of course, this is coming from a man. Apples appeared to be protective against Parkinson’s for men, but not women. However, everyone appeared to benefit from the berries.
We just may not want to have our berries with cream, as the milk supply may be contaminated with the same kind of neurotoxic pesticide residues found in the brains of Parkinson’s disease victims.
To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by Katie Schloer.
Please consider volunteering to help out on the site.
- J Campdelacreu. Parkinson disease and Alzheimer disease: environmental risk factors. Neurologia. 2014 Nov-Dec;29(9):541-9.
- M Park, G W Ross, H Petrovitch, L R White, K H Masaki, J S Nelson, C M Tanner, J D Curb, P L Blanchette, R D Abbott. Consumption of milk and calcium in midlife and the future risk of Parkinson disease. Neurology. 2005 Mar 22;64(6):1047-51.
- K E Strathearn, G G Yousef, M H Grace, S L Roy, M A Tambe, M G Ferruzzi, Q L Wu, J E Simon, M A Lila, J C Rochet. Neuroprotective effects of anthocyanin- and proanthocyanidin-rich extracts in cellular models of Parkinson׳s disease. Brain Res. 2014 Mar 25;1555:60-77.
- A J Noyce, J P Bestwick, L Silveira-Moriyama, C H Hawkes, G Giovannoni, A J Lees, A Schrag. Meta-analysis of early nonmotor features and risk factors for Parkinson disease. Ann Neurol. 2012 Dec;72(6):893-901.
- M Furlong, C M Tanner, S M Goldman, G S Bhudhikanok, A Blair, A Chade, K Comyns, J A Hoppin, M Kasten, M Korell, J W Langston, C Marras, C Meng, M Richards, G W Ross, D M Umbach, D P Sandler, F Kamel. Protective glove use and hygiene habits modify the associations of specific pesticides with Parkinson's disease. Environ Int. 2015 Feb;75:144-50.
- M T Allen, L S Levy. Parkinson's disease and pesticide exposure--a new assessment. Crit Rev Toxicol. 2013 Jul;43(6):515-34.
- A Chorfa, C Lazizzera, D Bétemps, E Morignat, S Dussurgey, T Andrieu, T Baron. RETRACTED ARTICLE: A variety of pesticides trigger in vitro α-synuclein accumulation, a key event in Parkinson's disease. Arch Toxicol. 2016 May;90(5):1279.
- X Liu, T Ma, B Qu, Y Ji, Z Liu. Pesticide-induced gene mutations and Parkinson disease risk: a meta-analysis. Genet Test Mol Biomarkers. 2013 Nov;17(11):826-32.
- S Narayan, Z Liew, K Paul, P C Lee, J S Sinsheimer, J M Bronstein, B Ritz. Household organophosphorus pesticide use and Parkinson's disease. Int J Epidemiol. 2013 Oct;42(5):1476-85.
- L M Barnhill, J M Bronstein. Pesticides and Parkinson's disease: is it in your genes? Neurodegener Dis Manag. 2014;4(3):197-200.
- A Wang, M Cockburn, T T Ly, J M Bronstein, B Ritz. The association between ambient exposure to organophosphates and Parkinson's disease risk. Occup Environ Med. 2014 Apr;71(4):275-81.
- F Kamel. Epidemiology. Paths from pesticides to Parkinson's. Science. 2013 Aug 16;341(6147):722-3.
- S J Lee, H S Lim, E Masliah, H J Lee. Protein aggregate spreading in neurodegenerative diseases: problems and perspectives. Neurosci Res. 2011 Aug;70(4):339-48.
- A Naeem, N A Fazili. Defective protein folding and aggregation as the basis of neurodegenerative diseases: the darker aspect of proteins. Cell Biochem Biophys. 2011 Nov;61(2):237-50.
- F C Lau, B Shukitt-Hale, J A Joseph. Nutritional intervention in brain aging: reducing the effects of inflammation and oxidative stress. Subcell Biochem. 2007;42:299-318.
- X Gao, A Cassidy, M A Schwarzschild, E B Rimm, A Ascherio. Habitual intake of dietary flavonoids and risk of Parkinson disease. Neurology. 2012 Apr 10;78(15):1138-45.
- X Meng, L A Munishkina, A L Fink, V N Uversky. Effects of Various Flavonoids on the α-Synuclein Fibrillation Process. Parkinsons Dis. 2010 Jan 28;2010:650794.
- X Meng, L A Munishkina, A L Fink, V N Uversky. Molecular mechanisms underlying the flavonoid-induced inhibition of alpha-synuclein fibrillation. Biochemistry. 2009 Sep 1;48(34):8206-24.
- L I Golbe, T M Farrell, P H Davis. Case-control study of early life dietary factors in Parkinson's disease. Arch Neurol. 1988 Dec;45(12):1350-3.
- A Ueki, M Otsuka. Life style risks of Parkinson's disease: association between decreased water intake and constipation. J Neurol. 2004 Oct;251 Suppl 7:vII18-23.
- R D Abbott, H Petrovitch, L R White, K H Masaki, C M Tanner, J D Curb, A Grandinetti, P L Blanchette, J S Popper, G W Ross. Frequency of bowel movements and the future risk of Parkinson's disease. Neurology. 2001 Aug 14;57(3):456-62.
- X Gao, H Chen, M A Schwarzschild, A Ascherio. A prospective study of bowel movement frequency and risk of Parkinson's disease. Am J Epidemiol. 2011 Sep 1;174(5):546-51.
- J Parkinson. An essay on the shaking palsy. 1817. J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2002 Spring;14(2):223-36; discussion 222.
- W A Kukull. An apple a day to prevent Parkinson disease: reduction of risk by flavonoids. Neurology. 2012 Apr 10;78(15):1112-3.
- Dunnett SB1, Björklund A. Prospects for new restorative and neuroprotective treatments in Parkinson's disease.
Image thanks to DGlodowska via Pixabay.
In the original description of Parkinson’s disease, by none other than Dr. James Parkinson himself, he described a characteristic feature of the disease: constipation—torpid or lethargic bowels, which may precede the diagnosis by many years. In fact, bowel movement frequency may be predictive. Men with less than daily bowel movements were four times more likely to develop Parkinson’s an average of 12 years later. Now, this could just be a really early symptom of the disease, tied to decreased water intake. Many Parkinson’s patients report never really feeling very thirsty; maybe that led to the constipation. Or, alternately, the constipation may increase the risk of Parkinson’s disease, as constipation results in a longer stay of the waste in the bowel, and, thus, more absorption of potential neurotoxicants—neurotoxins from the diet.
Yes, there are two studies suggesting an association between constipation and Parkinson’s, but at the same time, there are 38 studies linking the disease to pesticide exposure. And, by now, more than a hundred studies linking pesticides to an increased risk of up to 80%.
Now, many of these studies are on occupational exposure—like farmworkers, who may reduce their risk of Parkinson’s by wearing gloves and washing their clothes. But Parkinson’s has also been linked to ambient exposure. Approximately a billion pounds of pesticides are applied annually in the U.S., and just living or working in high-spray areas may increase Parkinson’s risk. And the same with using pesticides in the home. I didn’t realize how common household pesticide use was, but this study out of UCLA suggests it might not be such a good idea.
Pesticides may cause DNA mutations that increase susceptibility for the disease, or play a more direct role. See, many neurodegenerative diseases appear to be caused by the buildup of misfolded proteins. In Alzheimer’s, it’s the protein amyloid beta; in Creutzfeldt–Jakob and Mad Cow disease, it’s prions; in Huntington’s, it’s a different protein; and in Parkinson’s disease, a protein called alpha synuclein, and a variety of pesticides—8 out of the 12 they tested—were able to trigger synuclein accumulation in human nerve cells, at least in a petri dish.
The buildup of synuclein may play a role in killing off specialized nerve cells in the brain—70% of which are gone by the time the first symptoms arise. Pesticides are so good at killing these neurons that pesticides are used to try to recreate Parkinson’s disease in lab animals. Is there any way to stop the process? Well, there’s no drugs yet that can prevent this protein aggregation.
What about flavonoid phytonutrients, natural compounds found in certain fruits and vegetables? They can cross the blood-brain barrier, and may have neuroprotective effects. So, they tested 48 different plant compounds to see if any could stop the clumping of synuclein proteins into the little fibers that clog up the cell. And they found a variety of flavonoids that can not only inhibit the spider web-like formation of synuclein fibers, but some could even break them up. Turns out flavonoids may actually bind to synuclein proteins and stabilize them.
Here’s some healthy brain cells; the arrows are pointing to the neurites, the arms that nerve cells use to communicate with each other. Here’s after exposure to a pesticide, though. The cell is damaged; retracts its little arms. But if you first incubate the nerve cells with a blueberry extract, the nerve cells appear better able to withstand the pesticide effects. So, this implies that flavonoids in our diet may be combating Parkinson’s disease as we speak, and healthy diets may be effective in preventing and even “curing” the disorder.
But these were all petri dish experiments in a laboratory. Is there any evidence that people eating blueberries are protected from Parkinson’s? There was this study, published forever ago, that suggested the consumption of blueberries and strawberries was protective. But this was a tiny study, and the results were not statistically significant—which is why I never brought up the study before. But that was the best we had, until now.
Those eating a variety of phytonutrients were less likely to develop Parkinson’s disease; specifically, higher intake of berries were associated with significantly lower risk. The accompanying editorial, “An Apple a Day to Prevent Parkinson Disease,” concluded that more research is necessary, but until then, an apple a day might be a good idea. Of course, this is coming from a man. Apples appeared to be protective against Parkinson’s for men, but not women. However, everyone appeared to benefit from the berries.
We just may not want to have our berries with cream, as the milk supply may be contaminated with the same kind of neurotoxic pesticide residues found in the brains of Parkinson’s disease victims.
To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by Katie Schloer.
Please consider volunteering to help out on the site.
- J Campdelacreu. Parkinson disease and Alzheimer disease: environmental risk factors. Neurologia. 2014 Nov-Dec;29(9):541-9.
- M Park, G W Ross, H Petrovitch, L R White, K H Masaki, J S Nelson, C M Tanner, J D Curb, P L Blanchette, R D Abbott. Consumption of milk and calcium in midlife and the future risk of Parkinson disease. Neurology. 2005 Mar 22;64(6):1047-51.
- K E Strathearn, G G Yousef, M H Grace, S L Roy, M A Tambe, M G Ferruzzi, Q L Wu, J E Simon, M A Lila, J C Rochet. Neuroprotective effects of anthocyanin- and proanthocyanidin-rich extracts in cellular models of Parkinson׳s disease. Brain Res. 2014 Mar 25;1555:60-77.
- A J Noyce, J P Bestwick, L Silveira-Moriyama, C H Hawkes, G Giovannoni, A J Lees, A Schrag. Meta-analysis of early nonmotor features and risk factors for Parkinson disease. Ann Neurol. 2012 Dec;72(6):893-901.
- M Furlong, C M Tanner, S M Goldman, G S Bhudhikanok, A Blair, A Chade, K Comyns, J A Hoppin, M Kasten, M Korell, J W Langston, C Marras, C Meng, M Richards, G W Ross, D M Umbach, D P Sandler, F Kamel. Protective glove use and hygiene habits modify the associations of specific pesticides with Parkinson's disease. Environ Int. 2015 Feb;75:144-50.
- M T Allen, L S Levy. Parkinson's disease and pesticide exposure--a new assessment. Crit Rev Toxicol. 2013 Jul;43(6):515-34.
- A Chorfa, C Lazizzera, D Bétemps, E Morignat, S Dussurgey, T Andrieu, T Baron. RETRACTED ARTICLE: A variety of pesticides trigger in vitro α-synuclein accumulation, a key event in Parkinson's disease. Arch Toxicol. 2016 May;90(5):1279.
- X Liu, T Ma, B Qu, Y Ji, Z Liu. Pesticide-induced gene mutations and Parkinson disease risk: a meta-analysis. Genet Test Mol Biomarkers. 2013 Nov;17(11):826-32.
- S Narayan, Z Liew, K Paul, P C Lee, J S Sinsheimer, J M Bronstein, B Ritz. Household organophosphorus pesticide use and Parkinson's disease. Int J Epidemiol. 2013 Oct;42(5):1476-85.
- L M Barnhill, J M Bronstein. Pesticides and Parkinson's disease: is it in your genes? Neurodegener Dis Manag. 2014;4(3):197-200.
- A Wang, M Cockburn, T T Ly, J M Bronstein, B Ritz. The association between ambient exposure to organophosphates and Parkinson's disease risk. Occup Environ Med. 2014 Apr;71(4):275-81.
- F Kamel. Epidemiology. Paths from pesticides to Parkinson's. Science. 2013 Aug 16;341(6147):722-3.
- S J Lee, H S Lim, E Masliah, H J Lee. Protein aggregate spreading in neurodegenerative diseases: problems and perspectives. Neurosci Res. 2011 Aug;70(4):339-48.
- A Naeem, N A Fazili. Defective protein folding and aggregation as the basis of neurodegenerative diseases: the darker aspect of proteins. Cell Biochem Biophys. 2011 Nov;61(2):237-50.
- F C Lau, B Shukitt-Hale, J A Joseph. Nutritional intervention in brain aging: reducing the effects of inflammation and oxidative stress. Subcell Biochem. 2007;42:299-318.
- X Gao, A Cassidy, M A Schwarzschild, E B Rimm, A Ascherio. Habitual intake of dietary flavonoids and risk of Parkinson disease. Neurology. 2012 Apr 10;78(15):1138-45.
- X Meng, L A Munishkina, A L Fink, V N Uversky. Effects of Various Flavonoids on the α-Synuclein Fibrillation Process. Parkinsons Dis. 2010 Jan 28;2010:650794.
- X Meng, L A Munishkina, A L Fink, V N Uversky. Molecular mechanisms underlying the flavonoid-induced inhibition of alpha-synuclein fibrillation. Biochemistry. 2009 Sep 1;48(34):8206-24.
- L I Golbe, T M Farrell, P H Davis. Case-control study of early life dietary factors in Parkinson's disease. Arch Neurol. 1988 Dec;45(12):1350-3.
- A Ueki, M Otsuka. Life style risks of Parkinson's disease: association between decreased water intake and constipation. J Neurol. 2004 Oct;251 Suppl 7:vII18-23.
- R D Abbott, H Petrovitch, L R White, K H Masaki, C M Tanner, J D Curb, A Grandinetti, P L Blanchette, J S Popper, G W Ross. Frequency of bowel movements and the future risk of Parkinson's disease. Neurology. 2001 Aug 14;57(3):456-62.
- X Gao, H Chen, M A Schwarzschild, A Ascherio. A prospective study of bowel movement frequency and risk of Parkinson's disease. Am J Epidemiol. 2011 Sep 1;174(5):546-51.
- J Parkinson. An essay on the shaking palsy. 1817. J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2002 Spring;14(2):223-36; discussion 222.
- W A Kukull. An apple a day to prevent Parkinson disease: reduction of risk by flavonoids. Neurology. 2012 Apr 10;78(15):1112-3.
- Dunnett SB1, Björklund A. Prospects for new restorative and neuroprotective treatments in Parkinson's disease.
Image thanks to DGlodowska via Pixabay.
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Berries vs. Pesticides in Parkinson’s Disease
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Content URLDoctor's Note
My other videos on Parkinson’s disease include:
- Preventing Parkinson’s Disease with Diet
- Treating Parkinson’s Disease with Diet
- Is Something in Tobacco Protective Against Parkinson’s Disease?
- Peppers and Parkinson’s: The Benefits of Smoking Without the Risks?
- Could Lactose Explain the Milk and Parkinson’s Disease Link?
- Parkinson’s Disease and the Uric Acid Sweet Spot
- The Role Meat May Play in Triggering Parkinson’s Disease
Other neurological muscular disorders include essential tremor and ALS. To learn more, see:
- Essential Tremor and Diet
- ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease): Fishing for Answers
- Diet and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
The same reason Parkinson’s may be related to constipation may also explain the breast cancer connection. For more on this, see my video Breast Cancer and Constipation.
What else can berries do?
- Can Cranberry Juice Treat Bladder Infections?
- Reducing Muscle Soreness with Berries
- Boosting Natural Killer Cell Activity
- How to Slow Brain Aging by Two Years
- Inhibiting Platelet Aggregation with Berries
- The Benefits of Acai vs. Blueberries for Artery Function
- Black Raspberries vs. Oral Cancers
- Clinical Studies on Acai Berries
But what about all the sugar in fruit? See my videos If Fructose Is Bad, What About Fruit? and How Much Fruit Is Too Much?.
If you haven’t yet, you can subscribe to my videos for free by clicking here. Read our important information about translations here.