---
title: Mediterranean diet slows Parkinson progression
nct_id: NCT06705517
phase: NA
status: RECRUITING
sponsor: "Università degli Studi dell'Insubria"
study_type: INTERVENTIONAL
canonical_url: "https://parkinsonspathways.com/trial/NCT06705517"
clinicaltrials_gov: "https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06705517"
last_fetched: "2026-05-10T14:06:44.316Z"
source: "Parkinson's Pathways (curated)"
---
# Mediterranean diet slows Parkinson progression

**Goal (in five words):** Mediterranean diet slows Parkinson progression

**Official Title:** Mediterranean Diet Effects on Parkinson's Disease (MED-PARK): a Randomized Controlled Trial

**Trial ID:** [NCT06705517](https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06705517)

## Key Facts

- **Phase:** NA
- **Status:** RECRUITING
- **Study Type:** INTERVENTIONAL
- **Sponsor:** Università degli Studi dell'Insubria
- **Target Enrollment:** 44 participants
- **Start Date:** 2025-01-17
- **Completion Date:** 2026-02
- **Conditions:** Parkinson, Parkinson Disease, Parkinson Disease, Idiopathic, PARKINSON DISEASE (Disorder)
- **Interventions:** Mediterranean Diet
- **Intervention Types:** BEHAVIORAL

## Summary For Families

Aiming to see whether switching to a Mediterranean diet can ease symptoms or slow progression in Parkinson's by lowering inflammation and shifting the gut microbiome, both of which may affect motor and non-motor problems. Participants randomized to the Mediterranean diet will eat more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, fish and olive oil and less red and processed meat, and researchers will track clinical measures plus blood and stool markers to link those dietary changes to Parkinson's signs; the diet is tested alongside usual Parkinson's medications, not as a replacement. The trial is looking for people 40 to 85 with idiopathic Parkinson's at Hoehn and Yahr stage 3 or lower, who can eat independently, are willing to follow the diet and give blood and stool samples, and who are either medication-naive or on a stable anti-Parkinson's dose; underweight, obese, certain immune conditions, and recent immune-suppressing treatments are excluded.

## Eligibility

- **Minimum age:** 40 Years
- **Maximum age:** 85 Years
- **Sex:** ALL

### Full Criteria

```
Inclusion Criteria:

1. PD diagnosis according to international guidelines;
2. Age between 40 and 85 years;
3. Naive to medication or with a stable dosage of anti-Parkinson's therapy for at least two weeks;
4. Hoehn \& Yahr stage ≤3;
5. Normal independent feeding;
6. Ability to complete informed consent;
7. Willingness to maintain the usual diet in the period between T0 and T1;
8. Willingness to maintain the usual diet if randomized to the control group in the T1-T2 period;
9. Willingness to make changes in their diet to follow a Mediterranean diet if randomized to the intervention group in the T1-T2 period;
10. Willingness to fill out questionnaires;
11. Willingness to provide blood samples during the study collection periods;
12. Willingness to provide stool samples during the study collection periods;
13. Willingness to fast (without food or drink except water, tea or coffee) at least 12 hours before each sample collection;
14. Willingness to discontinue taking supplements, probiotics, herbal or high- dose vitamins or minerals that could impact inflammation during the period between T0 and T1 and for the duration of the study protocol;
15. No medical and/or social conditions that could interfere with participation in a six-month interventional study.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Atypical or secondary parkinsonism;
2. Underweight (\<18.5);
3. Obesity (BMI\>30);
4. Pregnancy or suspected pregnancy;
5. Normal assisted nutrition;
6. Enteral nutrition;
7. Chronic autoimmune diseases;
8. Chronic use of immunosuppressive drugs in the past year;
9. Chronic use of cytotoxic cancer drugs in the past year;
10. Major abdominal surgeries;
11. Concurrent participation in other interventional studies;
12. Intentional change in diet after PD diagnosis.
```

## Locations (1)

- Centre for Research in Medical Pharmacology, Varese, Varese, Italy _(45.8206, 8.8251)_
  - Marco Cosentino, MD, PhD — (CONTACT) — +39 0332217427 — marco.cosentino@uninisubria.it
  - Franca Marino, M.Sc., PhD — (CONTACT) — franca.marino@uninsubria.it
  - Elenamaria Pirovano, MD — (SUB_INVESTIGATOR)

## Central Contacts

- Marco Cosentino, MD, PhD — (CONTACT) — 0332217427 — marco.cosentino@uninsubria.it
- Franca Marino, M.Sc., PhD — (CONTACT) — 0332217427 — franca.marino@uninsubria.it

---

*Canonical: https://parkinsonspathways.com/trial/NCT06705517*  
*HTML version: https://parkinsonspathways.com/trial/NCT06705517*  
*Source data: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06705517*