If you’re looking for an excuse to reach for a second cup of Joe, look no further. Coffee has been linked to many health benefits including antioxidant intake, decreased stress, boosted liver health and overall happiness.
But for patients with Parkinson’s disease, a 2012 study published in an online issue of Neurology (the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology) found that daily caffeine intake may benefit movement control.
In the study, half of the subjects with Parkinson’s disease were given a placebo pill and half were given a caffeine pill twice daily, which meant the equivalent of 2 - 4 cups of coffee per day. After six weeks, the subjects that were given caffeine pills reported an improvement in the severity of Parkinson’s symptoms.
The improvement was modest, but worth noting. According to the study’s author, Ronald Postuma, MD, MSc, with McGill University in Montreal and the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center, the improvement “may be enough to provide benefit to patients.”
Previous studies have also shown that caffeine intake can help prevent the development of Parkinson’s disease. And to make the beverage even more irresistible, researchers at Seoul National University in South Korea found that sleep-deprived lab rats who were exposed to coffee aromas experienced changes in brain proteins linked to stress. These findings point toward the possibility that just the aroma of these delightful beans could alleviate stress. So wake up and smell the coffee!
But for patients with Parkinson’s disease, a 2012 study published in an online issue of Neurology (the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology) found that daily caffeine intake may benefit movement control.
In the study, half of the subjects with Parkinson’s disease were given a placebo pill and half were given a caffeine pill twice daily, which meant the equivalent of 2 - 4 cups of coffee per day. After six weeks, the subjects that were given caffeine pills reported an improvement in the severity of Parkinson’s symptoms.
The improvement was modest, but worth noting. According to the study’s author, Ronald Postuma, MD, MSc, with McGill University in Montreal and the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center, the improvement “may be enough to provide benefit to patients.”
Previous studies have also shown that caffeine intake can help prevent the development of Parkinson’s disease. And to make the beverage even more irresistible, researchers at Seoul National University in South Korea found that sleep-deprived lab rats who were exposed to coffee aromas experienced changes in brain proteins linked to stress. These findings point toward the possibility that just the aroma of these delightful beans could alleviate stress. So wake up and smell the coffee!
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