Though high-profile figures like Michael J. Fox have helped increase awareness about Parkinson’s disease, this neurodegenerative disorder is still relatively misunderstood among the general public. Characterized by facial tics and other involuntary movements, Parkinson’s disease affects approximately 1 million Americans according to the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation, and its cause has yet to be discovered.
Despite this obstacle, medical researchers have made considerable headway in treating Parkinson’s disease and a recent study has even shed light on the role that curcumin may come to play in this arena. According to a study abstract available through PubMed, curcumin – the bioactive ingredient in turmeric – may potentially protect people with Parkinson’s disease from the agitative effects of two environmental toxins that can trigger more severe symptoms.
The toxins in questions are rotenone (a pesticide) and salsolinol (a neurotoxin found in the body). Scientists from Howard University College of Medicine in Washington, D.C, first sought to find out if these two interacted to create a synergistic toxicity. They ultimately found this to be the case, but that pre-administering curcumin supplements before exposure had the potential to mitigate any damage.
“These results suggest that exposure to a combination of rotenone and salsolinol may contribute to the pathology of PD, and that curcumin has a therapeutic potential in this disease,” the scientists concluded.
Curcumin has documented antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, among other benefits. Click here to read more information about Nutrivene Longvida Curcumin.