Two pieces of news this time point in different directions. One shows that combining resistance exercise with stretching really does ease motor symptoms. The other confirms, once again, that treating a stomach infection some people had hoped would help doesn’t actually change Parkinson’s symptoms. We’re passing along both the good news and the disappointing news as they are.
A 14-week program combining resistance exercise and stretching noticeably eased motor symptoms
🔍 What happened
Researchers at Zhejiang University in China ran a randomized controlled trial with 45 people with early-to-mid-stage Parkinson’s, split into a combined resistance-and-stretching exercise group, a Tai Chi group, and a no-exercise control group, over 14 weeks (four one-hour sessions a week). All participants were at Hoehn and Yahr stage 2 to 3. The resistance-and-stretching program combined light resistance work with both static and dynamic stretching.
Both the resistance-and-stretching group and the Tai Chi group showed statistically significant improvement on UPDRSA scale that assesses Parkinson's motor and non-motor symptoms and their effect on daily life, used by doctors, people with Parkinson's and the FDA alike to judge how well a treatment is working.Learn more Part III (motor symptom) scores, while the control group got worse. The resistance-and-stretching group showed particularly large gains in grip strength and physical function, while the Tai Chi group showed bigger gains in balance and muscular endurance. Both exercise groups also reported better quality of life. Neither group, however, showed much improvement in freezing of gait.
✅ If you have Parkinson’s
Resistance exercise combined with stretching is something you can start with light gym equipment, resistance bands at home, or a rehab clinic program. If you’ve felt your strength declining, this combination may be worth asking about. It’s also worth noting this trial used a fairly demanding, consistent schedule — four sessions a week for 14 weeks.
🙋 If you’re a care partner
Fear of falling is often what keeps people from starting resistance exercise in the first place. It can help to have a physical therapist or qualified exercise instructor check form and starting intensity before beginning on your own.
Treating H. pylori infection didn’t help Parkinson’s symptoms
🔍 What happened
Researchers at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in Chandigarh, India, ran a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial in 30 people with Parkinson’s who tested positive for Helicobacter pylori, a bacteria that causes stomach inflammation. Participants received either standard eradication therapy (omeprazole, amoxicillin, and clarithromycin, twice daily for 14 days) or a matching placebo. At 12 weeks, there was no significant difference between the groups in motor symptoms (UPDRS Part III), total UPDRS score, non-motor symptom burden, or quality-of-life scores.
There has long been a hypothesis that H. pylori infection interferes with how the body absorbs levodopa, potentially worsening symptoms — and a similarly-sized randomized trial reached the same “no benefit” conclusion back in 2020. This new trial confirms that earlier finding.
✅ If you have Parkinson’s
If you’ve heard that treating H. pylori infection could improve Parkinson’s symptoms, this trial shows that it doesn’t. If you need H. pylori treatment for another reason, like stomach ulcers or indigestion, that’s a separate decision to make with your doctor — but there’s no reason to seek out testing or treatment specifically expecting it to help your Parkinson’s symptoms.
🙋 If you’re a care partner
We report studies that didn’t find what researchers hoped for, too — the goal is to help you avoid unnecessary tests or treatments based on hope rather than evidence. If you’ve come across claims online that a particular treatment “helps Parkinson’s,” it’s worth checking what the actual trial data shows.
What you can do now
We’ve shared one piece of news you could act on right away — combined resistance and stretching exercise — alongside one that turned out not to help despite earlier hope. Talk with your care team or a physical therapist before starting a new exercise program, and if you have questions about a treatment with uncertain evidence, it’s worth bringing up at your next appointment.
ParkinON has rewritten recently published research and news coverage in plain language for this article. It is not a substitute for medical diagnosis or treatment, and it says nothing about whether a treatment is approved or available where you live. If you have questions about a new treatment, please talk with your care team.