VOLUME 2008 issue 11

Black Tea May Slash Parkinson’s Disease Risk

Parkinson’s Disease is degenerative neurological disorder that impairs motor skills and walking, and is most notably characterized by a tremor most prominent at-rest. Louis Tan, from the National Neuroscience Institute of Singapore, and colleagues studied data on over 63,200 Chinese men and women enrolled in the Singapore Chinese Health Study. During the twelve-year study period, the team monitored the participants’ intake of tea and the onset of PD. They found that a daily consumption of _ of a cup of black tea reduced the risk of developing PD by 71%. Green tea was not observed to have any protective effect on the risk of PD. In that when black tea is made, the flavonoids undergo a complex transformation, the researchers suggest that the “ingredients of black tea … appear to be responsible for [its] inverse association with Parkinson’s Disease.”
[Tan LC, Koh WP, Yuan JM, Wang R, Au WL, Tan JH, Tan EK, Yu MC. “Differential Effects of Black versus Green Tea on Risk of Parkinson's Disease in the Singapore Chinese Health Study.” Am J Epidemiol. 2007 Dec 20; [Epub ahead of print].

Dr Klatz remarks: “The number of individuals with Parkinson's Disease in 15 of the world's largest nations will double over the next generation, according to a study by Ray Dorsey, of the University of Rochester (USA), and colleagues, that was published in the journal Neurology earlier this year. Amongst a group of the five largest countries in Western Europe (France, Spain, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Italy) and the 10 most populous nations worldwide (China, India, Indonesia, the United States, Brazil, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Japan, and Russia, the number of individuals with PD is projected to surge, from 4.1million in 2005 -- to 8.7 million by the year 2030. This study suggests a potent protective effect of a strikingly simple daily dietary choice, to drink one cup of black tea per day, to reduce the risk of developing Parkinson’s Disease.”

Aerobic Fitness, at Moderate Levels, Decreases Stroke Risk

A moderate level of aerobic fitness can significantly reduce stroke risk for men and women. Steven Hooker, of the University of South Carolina School of Public Health (USA), and colleagues analyzed data on more than 60,000 people, ages 18 to 100, who participated in a longitudinal study. The team measured each participant’s cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and correlated it with the risk of stroke. Men in the top 25% of CRF level had a 40% lower relative risk of stroke (compared to men in the lowest quartile). Among women, those in the higher CRF level had a 43% lower relative risk (as compared to less fit counterparts). Perhaps most importantly, the team found the overall stroke risk dropped substantially at the moderate CRF level, with the protective effect persisting nearly unchanged through higher fitness levels. According to the researchers, a moderate CRF level equated to 30 minutes or more of brisk walking, or an equivalent aerobic activity, five days a week.
[S Hooker, X Sui, N Colabianchi, J Vena, J Laditka, M LaMonte, S Blair. Abstract 119: Moderate levels of aerobic fitness may lower stroke risk. Presented at the International Stroke Conference 2008 (American Stroke Association), 21 February 2008.]

Dr. Goldman observes: “Stroke ranks as the third leading cause of death in the United States. With 780,000 Americans suffering a stroke annually, it is also a leading cause of long-term disability. While stroke death rates have declined over the past few decades, the public health burden of stroke-related disabilities is enormous and will likely increase in coming years as the population ages. In that physical activity is a major modifiable cardiovascular disease factor, this study sends a powerful message that by increasing our cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), each of us can lower our risks of succumbing to stroke.”

Daytime Dozing May Warn of Stroke

Bernadette Boden-Albala, from Columbia University (USA), and colleagues studied the relationship between daytime doziness and stroke in older adults. In a study of 2,153 men and women, average age 73, the team found the risk of stroke to be 2.6-times greater for those who dozed during the day (as compared to those who did not doze). Those who dozed significantly had 4.5-times greater stroke risk. While those who had the most trouble staying awake had the highest stroke risk, the researchers also found that those who dozed moderately had a 60% increased risk of any vascular event.
[B Boden-Albala et al. Stroke, Feb 2008; 39: 527 - 729. [Abstract presented at the International Stroke Conference 2008 (American Stroke Association), 21 February 2008.]

Comments Dr. Klatz: “Daytime sleepiness in older adults is an often underassessed problem. Sleep apnea, a disorder in which people stop breathing throughout the night, can be a contributing factor. Excessive alcohol consumption and eating a carb-rich or fatty meal may also be sources of daytime sleepiness. Now that the condition is correlated to an increased risk of stroke, it is imperative to identify and correct it.”

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