Iron and Parkinson’s

Researcher Cathy Levenson says she would be "nervous about just handing someone iron supplements and saying 'have at it,'" following results of a study showing too much iron can increase the risk of developing Parkinson's disease. Levenson's study, published in the October Experimental Neurology, showed lower levels of iron delayed Parkinson's in at-risk mice and slowed Parkinson's progression in already infected mice, but that too little of the mineral could promote the disease by causing shortages in dopamine, a neurotransmitter responsible for balance control and movement. Levenson, Florida State University, Tallahassee, et al., recommend consumers obtain iron from natural food sources rather than supplementation to avoid an excessive amount of the mineral...