You may be drinking The Hidden Cause of Parkinson's Disease

Middle-aged men who drink one or two glasses of pasteurized milk a day may double their risk of Parkinson's disease later in life, according to a study. Researchers are uncertain of what is causing the link, whether an ingredient or contaminant in the milk, but believe it is not related to calcium.

The 30-year study followed over 7,500 men between the ages of 45 and 68 who were part of the Honolulu Heart Program. During the study, 128 men developed Parkinson's disease, which is a degenerative disease of the nervous system.

Specifically, those who drank more than 16 ounces of milk each day were 2.3 times more likely to develop Parkinson's than those who didn't drink any milk. During each 12-month period, 6.9 cases of Parkinson's would be expected per 10,000 people who drank no milk; however, among those who drank more than 16 ounces daily, 14.9 cases per 10,000 people would be expected. Overall, however, researchers pointed out that the Parkinson's risk was still very low, even among the men who drank a lot of milk.

The findings are in line with a previous study that found eating a lot of dairy products increased the risk of Parkinson's in men (the findings did not apply to women). In the current study, no link between calcium and Parkinson's was found, so researchers believe another component or contaminant of milk is responsible. Further studies are needed to determine what that component may be.

Neurology March 22, 2005;64(6):1047-1051