Constipation is a common condition caused by a myriad of factors. However, it could be an early sign of Parkinson’s disease, showing up to a decade before diagnosis.
According to a study conducted by neurologist Deborah Hall, MD, from RUSH, understanding the link between the bowel and the brain might pave the way for early diagnosis and intervention.
Hall’s study focuses on the relationship between Parkinson’s disease and the gut microbiome, the diverse community of bacteria that inhabit our intestines.
She discovered that the microbiome is often abnormal in Parkinson’s patients and wondered if similar abnormalities could be detected even earlier, before diagnosis.
The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, investigates whether introducing a prebiotic bar into a patient’s diet could impact the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
Patients newly diagnosed with Parkinson’s and those at more advanced stages participated in the study.
Hall found that consuming the prebiotic bar decreased the severity of gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms in patients with more advanced Parkinson’s disease, suggesting a potential dietary strategy for managing the disease.
The Power of Prebiotics
Parkinson’s disease often results in a ‘leaky bowel’, due to damage to the intestine lining caused by harmful bacteria associated with the disease.
Prebiotics, which are compounds that help beneficial bacteria thrive in the gut, could help mitigate this issue.
These prebiotics contain short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that act as food for the good bacteria. By ingesting a prebiotic compound, good bacteria can proliferate, reducing inflammation and helping to normalize the leaky bowel.
While there’s currently no product on the market with the specific SCFA makeup necessary to modify the gut microbiome, Hall believes a prebiotic snack bar is a good starting point.
“It’s not a medicine, it’s not a surgical intervention, it’s easy,” says Hall. Patients’ bowel symptoms appeared to ease with the prebiotic bar, but more research is needed to determine whether the bar can also improve motor symptoms.
Looking Ahead: More Research, More Hope
For future studies, Hall plans to conduct a longer clinical trial with more patients to better assess the potential benefits of prebiotics on Parkinson’s symptoms.
She’s also interested in finding other ways to incorporate prebiotics into patients’ diets, as some participants reported feeling overly full and consequently ate less while incorporating the bar into their diets.
The promising results from the study could open new avenues of research and offer hope for improving the quality of life of Parkinson’s patients.
If you care about Parkinson’s disease, please read studies that Vitamin B may slow down cognitive decline, and the Mediterranean diet could help lower the risk of Parkinson’s disease.
For more information about brain health, please see recent studies that blueberry supplements may prevent cognitive decline, and results showing Plant-based diets could protect cognitive health from air pollution.
The study was published in Nature Communications.
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