Coffee, tobacco, aspirin offset Parkinson’s disease’s genetic risk

People with a genetic predisposition to Parkinson’s disease often show symptoms earlier, but lifestyle factors like drinking coffee, smoking, and taking aspirin may have a stronger impact on the risk of developing the disease. Researchers found that these lifestyle habits can delay the onset of Parkinson's symptoms more effectively than genetics alone. The study, published in Scientific Reports, analyzed data from over 4,500 people with Parkinson's and 3,000 healthy controls. They discovered that: A high genetic risk score was linked to an earlier onset of Parkinson's by about two years. Coffee, tobacco, and aspirin use significantly reduced the risk of early onset. Aspirin had the most substantial effect, reducing the risk by 34%. Combining these lifestyle habits reduced the risk of early onset by 55%. People with none of these habits developed symptoms nine years earlier than those with all three. In patients with GBA1 gene mutations, these habits delayed the onset by 65%. The findings highlight that lifestyle factors might play a more crucial role than genetic factors in determining when Parkinson's symptoms first appear.