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Can eating seaweed help prevent Parkinson’s disease? A Japanese study suggests it does

Japanese researchers discover a form of brown algae ‘appears to protect against neurodegeneration’ thanks to its antioxidant properties

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Workers load seaweed onto trucks in Rongcheng, Shandong, China. A research team has discovered that eating a form of brown algae seaweed could help prevent Parkinson’s disease, a neurodegenerative condition. Photo: Xinhua

Eating seaweed could help prevent Parkinson’s disease, according to researchers in Japan, where the highly nutritious plant has long been a staple crop.

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A team from Osaka Metropolitan University has discovered that a brown algae seaweed species called Ecklonia cava “appears to protect against neurodegeneration”.

“It is hoped that Ecklonia cava will be an effective ingredient in the prevention of Parkinson’s disease,” said Akiko Kojima-Yuasa, a professor at the university.

The scientists carried out a series of tests, including on mice, and found that antioxidants in the seaweed exert “neuroprotective effects” and offer protection against Parkinson’s, a neurodegenerative disease. The research was published in the science journal Nutrients.

Brown algae seaweed could be used in the fight against Parkinson’s disease. Photo: Shutterstock
Brown algae seaweed could be used in the fight against Parkinson’s disease. Photo: Shutterstock

Parkinson’s is caused by the depletion of neurons that produce dopamine, which acts as “a neurotransmitter involved in motor control and cognitive function”, according to the Osaka Metropolitan University researchers. Like serotonin, dopamine is sometimes called a “happy hormone” because of its effects on mood.

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The incidence of Parkinson’s disease, which is incurable and can leave patients in a wheelchair, has been rising in countries such as Japan, where elderly people make up a relatively high percentage of the population.
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