Caffeine, chocolate, and adenosine antagonism in Parkinson’s disease

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder. It is generally accepted that dopamine replacement therapy substantially improves motor symptoms; however, there is a worldwide tendency to include nutrients in treatment strategies. In the present review, caffeine and chocolate are discussed. Caffeine use seems to postpone the occurrence of PD in men, and perhaps also in women who do not take postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy. There are contradictory data concerning possible caffeine-induced improvements in PD symptoms. Given that the basic action of caffeine is the antagonism of adenosine receptors, adenosine antagonists may be a new option for treating PD patients. Furthermore, PD patients tend to have increased chocolate consumption; this may be causally related to ingredients such as phenylethylamine. Thus, nutrients such as caffeine and chocolate may play an important role in postponing and/or improving symptoms in PD.