Global Symposium: Nutrition and Parkinson’s (2025)

In this webinar, registered dietitian and Parkinson’s advocate, Richelle Flanagan, explored the powerful role of nutrition in managing Parkinson’s disease, drawing from both scientific research and her personal experience.

She highlighted constipation as a major issue that impaired levodopa absorption, stressing the need for adequate fibre, hydration, exercise, and tailored gut health strategies. Richelle explained how protein timing, rather than elimination, could improve medication effectiveness, and promoted the Mediterranean and MIND diets for their anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective benefits.

She addressed common vitamin B12 and D deficiencies, which often mimic or worsen Parkinsonian symptoms, recommending regular monitoring and supplementation. Weight management, blood sugar control, and careful use of probiotics and laxatives were also discussed as part of a personalised care plan. She emphasized the importance of exercise, including facial movements, to improve motor symptoms, and encouraged tracking symptoms, diet, and medication to identify triggers.

Finally, Richelle called for better access to dietetic care and shared the development of online nutrition programmes to support patients more effectively.

**Disclaimer: These sessions are designed to provide general education and are not intended for individual advice and/or clinical care. The information conveyed in this recording was accurate at the time of presentation.**