A study from Karen Powers and colleagues at the University of Washington suggests that people who consume high levels of iron, from either food or supplements, such as those who take more than one multivitamin or a multivitamin and an iron supplement, are 70% more likely to develop Parkinson’s than people who consume the lowest levels. Furthermore, people who consume higher than normal levels of both iron and manganese appear to be 90% more likely to develop the disease as people who consume lower levels.

Excess iron and manganese can contribute to oxidative stress, causing cells to release toxic agents called ‘free radicals’. These may damage the brain cells that produce the chemical dopamine (the same cells that are affected by Parkinson’s disease) disrupting control of movement.

The researchers stress that the benefits of eating iron and manganese-rich foods, like spinach, legumes, nuts, red meat, poultry and whole grains, far outweigh the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, and encourage people not to stop eating them.

The study compared the diets of 250 people with Parkinson’s and 388 matched people without the disease.

Ed.- (i) For healthy men and postmenopausal women, iron deficiency is rare. Low but non-anaemic iron levels appear to protect against heart attack,[1] (as does donating blood, which lowers blood iron levels).[2] One study has suggested that high iron levels may increase risk of heart attack and atherosclerosis, although a link has not been proven.[3]

(ii) High levels of manganese have been linked to several neurological disorders, including BSE and CJD, and violent behaviour. Major sources are air pollution, particularly from aluminium smelters, and soy food products.

(iii) Dr. Joseph Mercola informs readers that excess iron can result from iron supplements, and that iron overload and hemochromatosis (a common inherited disease which causes the body to store too much iron) can damage every major organ, particularly the liver, pancreas and heart. Iron overload also interferes with the body’s normal antibacterial mechanisms and can also create massive amounts of free radicals in the body.

Measuring iron levels is best done through indirect measures of serum ferritin level in conjunction with a total iron binding level. If you find elevated serum ferritin levels, a simple extract from rice bran called phytic acid, or IP6, is a non-toxic, inexpensive way of removing iron from the body. The Tsuno Food & Rice Company of Wakayama, Japan is the only manufacturer of IP6 in the world, so any brand you purchase would have come originally from this company. Since it is all the same product, the least expensive brand is probably the best one to choose.