Alcohol No Protection Against Parkinson's
A new study contradicts previous research that concluded alcohol has a protective effect against Parkinson's disease.
The Harvard School of Public Health study, appearing in the May 15 issue of the Annals of Neurology, says that alcohol has no effect on preventing the neurological disease, HealthScout News reports.
The study of 88,722 women and 47,367 men found no correlation between moderate to low alcohol consumption and the development of Parkinson's. The researchers had no data about heavy drinkers.
Some previous studies have shown that alcohol, coffee, and cigarette smoking helps protect people against Parkinson's.
The disease affects about 1.5 million Americans, with 50,000 new cases diagnosed each year. It's most common among people over 50 years of age.
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-- Robert Preidt and Scott Roberts
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