Dr. Gabe Mirkin

John Havlicek was one of the most gifted athletes ever. At Bridgeport High School in Ohio he was All State in basketball, baseball and football, and then he went to Ohio State where he played basketball on an NCAA championship team. After college, he was drafted by both the Boston Celtics of the NBA and the Cleveland Browns of the NFL, and he elected to play basketball for the Boston Celtics. Over 16 seasons from 1962-1978, he scored 26,395 points, averaged 20.8 points a game, was named to five NBA all-defensive teams, won eight NBA championships and played in 13 All-Star games. In 1984, he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

In 2019, after several years of battling Parkinsons disease that caused him to lose control of his muscles, he injured himself in a fall and developed pneumonia that prevented his brain from getting enough oxygen. Doctors tried to save his life by putting him into a deep coma but he died three weeks later, most likely from heart failure caused by brain damage because he was not able to breathe in enough oxygen.

His Life StoryHavlicek was born in 1940 in Martins Ferry, Ohio. His father was an immigrant from Czechoslovakia, and his mother had Croation roots but was born in the United States. They ran a general store and the family lived in a modest apartment above the store. A childhood friend gave him the nickname Hondo after the hero in the 1953 movie starring John Wayne. Havlicek didnt have a bicycle, so he ran everywhere to keep up with his friends. In his 1977 autobiography,Hondo: Celtic Man in Motion, he said, Maybe thats where I developed my stamina. He told aSports Illustratedreporter that his lungs were so large that they have to take two chest X-rays to fit them in.

He met his wife, Beth, while they attended Ohio State University, and they married in 1967. They had a son who attended the University of Virginia on a basketball scholarship and a daughter who married a former Major League Baseball outfielder. After retiring from basketball in 1978, Havlicek worked as vice president of International Manufacturing & Marketing Corporation in Columbus, Ohio, and did motivational speaking. He was able to retire and play a lot of golf because he had invested early in the Wendys fast food restaurant chain. During his last years he suffered from severe, aggressive and debilitating Parkinsons disease, and he died in hospice care on April 25, 2019 at age 79.Parkinsons DiseaseParkinsons disease is a condition of brain damage that can cause shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with walking, balancing, and coordination, and can progress to damage every brain function. Parkinsons disease occurs when brain nerve cells that control muscles reduce production of dopamine that sends messages from nerves to muscles, and of norepinephrine that controls part of the involuntary nervous system. The symptoms usually begin gradually and increase over time: difficulty walking and talking loss of memory depression difficulty sleeping acting out dreams fatigue damage to smell, taste, seeing, hearing, and feeling decreased sexual function and desire swallowing problems difficulty chewing incontinence irregular heartbeats high and low blood pressure constipation dizziness on standing up painIf the Parkinsons symptoms start before age 60, the disease may be hereditary, but for the majority of people who develop it after age 60, it does not appear to be a hereditary disease.

Athletes and Parkinsons DiseaseCurrent research shows that even one concussion is associated with increased risk for Parkinsons disease (Neurology, April 18, 2018). Professional soccer players have been shown to be at increased risk for Parkinsons disease (N Engl J Med,Nov 7, 2019; 381:1801-1808), as are participants in other contact sports (J Neuropath and Exper Neur, July 25, 2018). Muhammad Ali won 55 of his 61 professional fights, but suffered from a tremendous amount of head trauma and was diagnosed with Parkinsons disease three years after he stopped fighting.

Jerry Sloan, Brian Grant and John Havlicek are the only basketball players that I know of who had Parkinsons disease. Jimmy Piersall, Dave Parker and Kirk Gibson are three outfielders in baseball who had this disease. Football players are at significantly increased risk for Parkinsons disease, probably because of increased risk for head trauma (Neurology,September 6, 2012).Can Exercise Help to Prevent or Treat Parkinsons Disease?Other than the danger of head injuries, participating in sports has not been shown to increase risk for Parkinsons disease. People who exercise intensely and regularly and those who begin to participate in sports before age five are at reduced risk for Parkinsons disease (Parkinsonism Relat Disord, Jul 2016; 28:112-7). High intensity interval training has been shown in several studies to help control symptoms of Parkinsons disease (J Appl Physiol, Mar 1, 2014;116(5):582592;J of Appl Physiol, March 2014;116(5):582-592).

The most complete study on the subject concludes that there is disagreement whether exercise increases, prevents or treats Parkinsons disease (J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry, 2006 Dec; 77(12): 13181322). Several studies have shown that exercise is associated with reduced risk for dementia and Alzheimers disease (Arch Intern Med, 200116117031708;Am J Epidemiol, 2002156445453). Animal studies show that treadmill running decreases dopamine depletion (Exp Neurol, 2005;193:181197) and symptoms of Parkinsons disease ( Neuroscience 2003;119:899911). Prospective studies in humans show a decreased risk for Parkinsons disease with exercise (Neurology, 2005;64:664669;Clin Neurol Neurosurg,2002;104:328333).

Other Factors Associated with Decreased Risk for Parkinsons DiseaseHealthful Gut Bacteria:Recent research shows that Parkinsons disease may start in intestinal nerves. In Parkinsons disease, unhealthful intestinal bacteria cause intestinal nerves to secrete a protein called alpha-synuclein to accumulate first in the intestines and then in the brain to form Lewy bodies in the brain characteristic of Parkinsons disease (Movement Disorders, Mar 1, 2015;30(3):350-8). Healthful and harmful bacteria live in your colon, and you can promote the growth of healthfulcolon bacteria that decrease inflammationby exercising regularly, eating a plant-based diet, and avoiding insecticides and other harmful chemicals

Diet:A Mediterranean-style diet, based on eating lots of plants and seafood, and restricting meat, dairy and poultry, is associated with reduced risk of developing Parkinsons disease (Movement Disorders, Feb 7, 2012;Europ J Neur, Dec 5, 2011). A diet high in flavinoids such as those found in tea, berries, apples, oranges may also help to prevent Parkinsons disease (Neurology, Apr 10, 2012;78(15):1138-45).

Caffeine:Those who drink 3-5 cups a day of caffeinated beverages, such as coffee or tea, have a reduced incidence of Parkinsons disease (Am J Epidemiol, 2015 May 15;181(10):808-816).My RecommendationsMore than ten million people live today with Parkinsons disease that usually starts after age 60 and can affect every known brain function. We have drugs that can slow down progression but we do not have a cure. Possible lifestyle changes that may help to protect a person from Parkinsons disease, and to ease some of the symptoms in Parkinsons patients, include exercising regularly, eating a plant-based diet, and avoiding insecticides.

Dr. Gabe Mirkin is a Villager. Learn more at http://www.drmirkin.com

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Basketball great John Havlicek struggled with Parkinson's later in life - Villages-News