Curcumin, Turmeric Proven Effective at Preventing Parkinson’s Disease

Curcumin, Turmeric Proven Effective at Preventing Parkinson’s Disease
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Natural Society

Parkinson’s disease is experienced by more people than those suffering from multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, and Lou Gehrig’s disease combined. It is estimated that 7-10 million individuals are living with Parkinson’s worldwide, with 96 percent of diagnoses occurring after the age of 50. What these millions of people need to know is that their disease can be helped with numerous natural remedies. A compound from an ancient herb known as turmeric is one of those remedies.

Turmeric and Parkinson’s Disease

New research shows that curcumin, a natural phenol and compound of turmeric, is proven to be effective at preventing Parkinson’s disease by disrupting proteins involved in the development of Parkinson’s disease. Basir Ahmad, an MSU postdoctoral researcher, previously led a team of researchers who demonstrated that ‘slow-wriggling’ proteins can cause clumping and aggregation — the first step in the development of diseases like Parkinson’s. Now, Ahmad and his team have shown that curcumin is effective at preventing this clumping by “rescuing the protein from aggregation” and subsequently halting the development of Parkinson’s disease.

“Our research shows that curcumin can rescue proteins from aggregation, the first steps of many debilitating diseases…More specifically, curcumin binds strongly to alpha-synuclein and prevents aggregation at body temperatures” says Lisa Lapidus, MSU associate professor of physics and astronomy who co-authored the paper with Ahmad.

Being aware of natural alternatives for Parkinson’s disease is crucial. It was recently reported that a pharmaceutical drug known as Mirapex, which is a medication pushed on those suffering from Parkinson’s, is actually responsible for causing the greatest amount of side-effects related to compulsive behavior. Combine this with the health-destructive nature of all pharmaceuticals, and you will be happy to know of the natural alternatives.

Instead of resorting to medications, brain exercises have been shown to provide significant relief to Parkinson’s patients. In addition, tai chi can improve balance and lower the risk of falls in those suffering from mild or moderate Parkinson’s disease. Of course turmeric can be utilized alongside with these solutions, and you’ll be giving your body one of the most powerful and health-promoting foods at the same time.