Dietary Antioxidants and Risk of Parkinson's Disease in Two Population-Based Cohorts

Background: A neuroprotective effect of dietary antioxidants on Parkinson's disease (PD) risk has been suggested, but epidemiological evidence is limited. Objectives: To examine the associations between intake of dietary antioxidant vitamins and total antioxidant capacity and risk of PD. Methods: We prospectively assessed the relationships of dietary antioxidant vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, and total antioxidant capacity with PD risk in two population-based cohorts (38,937 women and 45,837 men). Results: During a mean 14.9-year follow-up period, 1,329 PD cases were identified. Dietary intake of beta-carotene was associated with a lower risk of PD (hazard ratio: 0.86; 95% confidence interval: 0.78-0.95; P-trend < 0.01 for women and hazard ratio: 0.91; 95% confidence interval: 0.84-0.99; P-trend =0.05 for men). An inverse association between dietary vitamin E and PD risk was found in women (hazard ratio: 0.87; 95% confidence interval: 0.79-0.96; P-trend=0.02). Dietary intake of vitamin C was inversely associated with PD risk in women at borderline significance (hazard ratio: 0.91; 95% confidence interval: 0.83-1.00; P-trend=0.04). There was no association between dietary total antioxidant capacity and PD risk in either women (hazard ratio: 0.93; 95% confidence interval: 0.84-1.02; P-trend=0.35) or men (hazard ratio: 1.00; 95% confidence interval: 0.93-1.07; P-trend=0.97). Conclusion: Intake of dietary vitamin E and beta-carotene was associated with a lower risk of PD. (c) VC 2017 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.