Iron intake may increase risk of Parkinson's disease

AORN Journal,  August, 2003  

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People with high dietary iron intake are more likely to develop Parkinson's disease, according to a June 9, 2003, news release from the American Academy of Neurology. A study compared 250 people with Parkinson's disease to 388 people who did not have the disease. Those participants who had the highest level of iron intake were 1.7 times more likely to have Parkinson's disease than those with the lowest iron intake. Participants with higher than average levels of both iron and manganese were 1.9 times more likely to have Parkinson's disease than those with lower than average levels of these minerals. People with higher than average iron intake who also took one or more multivitamins or iron supplements per day were 2.1 times more likely to have Parkinson's disease than those who had lower iron intake and took fewer than one multivitamin or supplement per day.

Iron and manganese contribute to oxidative stress in which cells release toxic substances (ie, free radicals) as part of normal energy consumption and metabolism. Oxidative stress may cause degeneration of brain cells that produce dopamine--the same cells that are affected by Parkinson's disease. Researchers say, however, that the benefits of eating foods rich in iron and manganese and taking multivitamins outweigh the risk of developing Parkinson's disease. The study may aid understanding of how the disease develops, but many factors Likely determine who will develop the disease; therefore, researchers believe it is too early to recommend dietary changes.

Parkinson's Disease Linked to High Iron Intake (news release, St Paul, Minn: American Academy of Neurology, June 9, 2003).

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