Multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune disease involving loss of myelin -- the insulation around nerve cells -- affects approximately 2.5 million people worldwide. The disease, which affects women more than men, can take up to five years between initial appearance of symptoms and diagnosis. Some multiple sclerosis patients find dietary modifications particularly helpful for managing symptoms.
Fish Oil
A diet high in fish oil may alleviate symptoms of multiple sclerosis, say authors of a study published in the February 2009 journal "Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids." Participants in the study, all with the relapsing-remitting form, of the disease took 9.6g per day of fish oil for three months. Levels of matrix metalloproteinase-9, a marker of tissue breakdown and repair, decreased by 58 percent in the fish oil group by the end of the study period. The researchers concluded that fish oil may offer immune-modulating benefits for multiple sclerosis patients.
Swank Diet
The Swank Multiple Sclerosis Foundation recommends a low-fat diet for managing multiple sclerosis. Swank Diet guidelines include less than 15g of saturated fat per day, 20 to 50g of unsaturated fat per day, no red meat for the first year, followed by an allowance of three ounces per week, low-fat dairy products and supplementation with one teaspoon of cod liver oil per day. Developed over 60 years ago by Dr. Roy Swank, the diet is meant to simulate the lower meat and saturated fat levels in the diets of pre-industrialized societies, which also experienced lower rates of certain diseases, including multiple sclerosis.
Cautions
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society cautions against special diets that claim to treat or cure multiple sclerosis, citing scant evidence supporting the effectiveness of diets in managing symptoms. While some evidence supports diets low in saturated fat and high in omega-3 fats, most diets purported to benefit multiple sclerosis have not been subjected to rigorous scientific scrutiny. Beware also of diets that may encourage consumption of toxic levels of certain vitamins or avoidance of important nutrients.
Food Triggers
September 26, 2007 "Medical News Today" reported that many multiple sclerosis patients who fail to benefit from conventional drug treatments experience success in managing their symptoms by altering their diets to avoid certain food triggers, including gluten, dairy, eggs, legumes and yeast, along with sugar and saturated fats. The dietary approach is meant to eliminate food sensitivities that cause an immune response that may lead to symptom flare-ups for some multiple sclerosis patients. The diet becomes tailored to each individual's needs as he or she identifies and eliminates particular troublesome foods.
References
- "Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids"; Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation decreases matrix metalloproteinase-9 production in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. Shinto L et al; 2009
- Swank M.S. Foundation; About the Swank Low-Fat Diet for the Treatment of MS
- National Multiple Sclerosis Society; Nutrition and Diet
- Medical News Today; Multiple Sclerosis Patients Find Dietary Treatment More Effective Than Pharmaceutical Regimens
- TheMCFox.com; Multiple Sclerosis Facts
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