Caffeine May Help Parkinson’s Symptoms
Caffeine might help to improve movement for people with Parkinson’s disease, a small new study suggests. But, despite caffeine’s reputation as a stimulant, the study did not show a clear reduction in daytime sleepiness. The study included 61 people with Parkinson’s disease. Before the study, all of them consumed less than 200 milligrams of caffeine daily. That’s equal to about 2 cups of coffee. People were randomly divided into 2 groups. One group took pills containing caffeine twice a day — after they got up and at lunchtime. The pills contained 100 milligrams of caffeine each â similar to a cup of coffee. The other group received look-alike placebo pills that contained no caffeine. After 3 weeks, the dose was doubled, to 200 milligrams twice a day. Tests showed greater speed of movement and less stiffness in those who received the real caffeine pills.