People who regularly eat highly processed foods may be at a higher risk of developing Parkinson's disease, a new study suggests.
Additives in favorite foods like chips, cookies, and packaged supermarket bread can harm trillions of beneficial bacteria in the gut.
These compromised bacteria send signals to the brain that cause damage similar to that of degenerative disease, according to scientists.
Research has long shown that diets rich in highly processed foods can disrupt the natural balance of bacteria in the gut, causing inflammation that can lead to a range of health problems – including problems with brain activity.
Now, experts from King's College London have investigated the impact of this diet on the risk of Parkinson's - a disease that causes cognitive decline and movement problems due to the death of nerve cells in the brain.
Researchers analyzed 88 participants with Parkinson's and found that they had a less diverse gut microbiome - the community of "friendly" bacteria that live in the gut and communicate with the brain - than healthy people.
They also had higher levels of harmful bacteria in their gut, which have been linked to this degenerative disease.
Interestingly, the experiments also showed that a good and consistent oral hygiene routine can help prevent this precursor to the disease.
This is because harmful bacteria found in the mouth can migrate to the gut, where they further affect the body, scientists suggested.
This comes as other studies show that Parkinson's is on the rise in the UK.
Currently, around 153,000 people are affected, but experts predict that this number will reach 172,000 adults by 2030.
The huge increase is thought to be the result of a combination of factors, including environmental toxins and a rapidly aging population.
Writing in the journal Gut Microbes, the researchers suggested that significant changes in gut and mouth bacteria may promote inflammation, which damages neurons in the brain that create dopamine – a neurotransmitter that affects movement and mood and is lacking in Parkinson's patients.
Researchers found that patients with mild cognitive impairment had more harmful bacteria in their gut, which can damage dopamine-producing neurons in the brain.
Therefore, experts suggested that a balanced, varied diet low in highly processed foods could reduce the risk of developing Parkinson's and help delay the cognitive symptoms of the disease.
However, Dr. Frederick Clasen, co-author of the study, said: “We don’t yet know whether the bacteria are causing the cognitive decline or whether the changes that occur in the body due to Parkinson’s allow these bacteria to grow. But our findings suggest that they [harmful bacteria] may play an active role in worsening symptoms.”
There are around 18,000 new cases of Parkinson's diagnosed each year in the UK, mainly in people over 45.
Parkinson's disease is a progressive movement disorder where the brain does not produce enough dopamine, a neurotransmitter that controls movement.
Dopamine deficiency leads to problems like tremors and falls, and can also contribute to cognitive changes.
In the study, saliva and stool samples were taken from two groups of Parkinson's patients - 41 who showed signs of mild cognitive impairment and 47 who had significant cognitive symptoms, similar to dementia.
There were also 26 healthy participants who did not have a Parkinson's diagnosis.
The authors found a decrease in the levels of three beneficial bacteria in Parkinson's patients, including two known to protect against dementia.
The researchers added that low levels of bacteroides uniformis – another type of bacteria linked to Parkinson's and dementia – could be an indicator of dopamine deficiency.
They also found that the migration of bacteria normally present in the mouth to the intestines may be a risk factor for Parkinson's.
However, the researchers admitted that they did not take into account other lifestyle factors – such as diet, stress, sleep and physical activity – which are known to influence the gut microbiome.
According to the Parkinson's Foundation, digestive problems are one of the most common symptoms of Parkinson's, with constipation affecting up to 70 percent of those diagnosed. This symptom often begins before the onset of movement delays and other early signs of the disease.
While research into the link between the gut and Parkinson's is still in its infancy, it has long been suggested that activity in the gut affects the brain.
“These toxins could be used as biological markers to identify patients at higher risk for Parkinson’s,” explained Frederick Clasen, a microbiome researcher and co-author of the study at King’s College London.
"In the future, they may also be targets for new treatments that protect the brain by altering the gut environment," he added.
The findings come as Chinese scientists discovered that those who regularly eat highly processed foods have almost triple the risk of developing Parkinson's.
They found that people who eat 11 or more servings of highly processed foods a day – such as sweets, sugary sauces and processed meats – are 2.5 times more likely to show early signs of degenerative disease.
Researchers believe that additives in these foods, such as emulsifiers and sweeteners, may cause chemical reactions that damage the neurons that create dopamine in the brain.. /GazetaExpress/
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