Out fox Parkinson's disease

Despite the plethora of research on Parkinson's disease (primarily led by the Michael J. Fox Foundation), progress toward finding a cure remains slow.

But a study published in the Journal of Neurochemistry suggests a link between Parkinson's disease and homocysteine levels that can be easily corrected by supplementing with a simple nutrient--folic acid.

In the study, researchers included folic acid in the diet of one group of mice and studied this group against mice that were not given folic acid. They gave both groups an injection of a substance called MPTP, which induces a Parkinson's-like disease in animals. The mice that were fed folic acid only developed mild illness, whereas those deprived of the vitamin suffered severe symptoms. 

This study links low levels of folic acid to a build-up of homocysteine in the brain. The scientists suggest that homocysteine may damage brain cells in the "substantia nigra," the area of the midbrain that produces dopamine. Dopamine levels are consistently low in patients suffering from Parkinson's disease.

Homocysteine is formed as a byproduct from digesting of "well done" meat. Folic acid is essential in the conversion of homocysteine to cystathionine, a harmless substance that occurs naturally in the body and can be excreted in the urine.

To get folic acid from your diet, eat plenty of green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, whole wheat bread, poultry, and egg yokes. If you prefer to take folic acid supplements, you can buy them in most health food stores and pharmacies. Take 1,000 micrograms per day.