Dietary supplements for Parkinson's disease: State of the science

Abstract

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the fastest growing neurological condition worldwide with its prevalence set to double by 2050. With no cure in sight, management has turned to lifestyle modification, in particular to diet and exercise. The disease-modifying potential of dietary approaches has been of recent interest, particularly given emerging links between diet and reductions in systemic inflammation, oxidative stress, and alterations in the gut microbiome composition, all of which may modulate neurodegeneration. This review summarises the current ‘state of the science’ of dietary supplements in modifying disease progression through a lens of the pathophysiological hallmarks of PD. Biomarkers and clinical outcomes that serve as proxy measurements for disease modification are examined, whilst looking ahead at which dietary supplements show the most promise and should be the focus of future research.The number of people with Parkinson's disease will grow over the next few decades. Despite years of trialing different pharmaceuticals, a cure remains to be found. For this reason, lifestyle has gained more attention in recent years. Current research suggests that regular physical activity may have the potential to slow the progression of the disease. A growing number of clinical trials have examined how different dietary approaches can alter Parkinson's. These include trials of dietary patterns, foods, nutrients and dietary supplements. In this article, an overview of the current evidence for dietary supplements and their effects on Parkinson's disease progression is provided. The dietary supplements that currently hold the most promise for forthcoming research are highlighted, and future directions within the field are discussed.