Men who have high levels of urate, also known as uric acid, in their blood may be less likely to develop Parkinson’s disease, according to a study published in the Jan. 13, 2016, online issue of Neurology.

Urate is formed when other chemicals, called purines, are broken down in the body. Purines are found in food, and some purines are the building blocks of DNA. Studies have suggested that urate may play a protective role with brain cells.

“These results suggest that urate could protect against Parkinson’s or slow the progression of the disease in its very early stages before symptoms are seen,” said study author Xiang Gao, MD, PhD, of Pennsylvania State University in University Park and a member of the American Academy of Neurology. “The findings support more research on whether raising the level…