Eat fish to ward off Parkinson's: study
Two servings a week beneficial. Quebec research finds omega-3 link

AARON DERFEL
The Gazette
http://www.canada.com/montrealgazett...641f32&k=19940
Thursday, November 29, 2007

Eating two servings of fish a week could protect you from developing Parkinson's disease, a Quebec City researcher suggested yesterday.

A Université Laval study showed that laboratory mice fed a diet rich in a specific type of omega-3 fatty acid found in fish did not develop Parkinson's, even when they were given a toxic compound that usually causes symptoms similar to the disease.

The mice were fed very high doses of the omega-3 acid known as DHA, which is not the same as the omega-3s contained in some vegetable oils. What's more, the researchers were unable to say how much DHA humans would have to consume to achieve the same protection against Parkinson's.

Two servings of fish a week would probably help, said Frédéric Calon, a co-author of the study.

"What we expect is that (DHA) can have a similar effect in humans and, hopefully, could prevent the disease or slow its development at the beginning," Calon added.

More than 100,000 Canadians suffer from Parkinson's, a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that causes chronic trembling of the hands, arms, legs, jaw and face, as well as stiffness of the limbs. The disease affects mostly people in their 60s or 70s, but in rare cases some people in their 30s and 40s have what is called young onset Parkinson's.