The Impact of Diet on Multiple Sclerosis: Enemies and Allies on the Plate
The healthy fats featured in the Mediterranean Diet have been found to reduce the risk of chronic disease, including neurodegenerative diseases like MS.
While palm oil might be an MS foe, research suggests that fatty fish may be an MS friend.
Patrizia Casaccia, lead author of the GLIA study, told The Epoch Times in an email, “Take home message: Not all fats are bad,” adding that fatty fish and olive oil are associated with better health.
Dietary Foes
Dietary foes for general health are also foes for specific conditions, such as MS. Such foes include ultra-processed or junk food. Although these foods have an array of nutritional drawbacks, the GLIA study highlights palm oil as a prominent one.
Palm Oil
MS is an inflammatory autoimmune condition that involves damage to myelin, a sheath that insulates nerve cells. According to the GLIA study press release, earlier research has reported that a high-fat diet has toxic effects that increase the severity of MS symptoms. For this reason, the researchers set out to explore possible mechanisms that would cause palm oil to harm nerve cell health.
First, the researchers noted that a diet rich in palm oil was associated with more severe MS in mice. Next, they observed that certain enzymes in the body convert palm oil into a toxic substance that deprives nerve cells of the energy needed to oppose inflammation in the brain. The team then examined whether inactivation of the enzymes could provide neuroprotection.
When the researchers genetically removed the involved enzymes, it prevented neurodegeneration in the mice with MS. The protection held even when the mice were fed a diet rich in palm oil.
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“The work reinforces that lifestyle choices, such as diet, can have a profound impact on the course of the disease,” reported researchers in the press release. “The study’s results build on previous concepts about careful dietary choices in managing the symptoms of MS.”
Many processed and packaged foods contain palm oil, Sazan Sylejmani, pharmacist and owner of Westmont Pharmacy in Illinois, told The Epoch Times in an email. These include baked goods, such as cookies and crackers; instant noodles; snacks, such as potato chips; nut butters, and candy bars.
“I’ve found that labels on products marketed as ‘healthier’ or ‘natural’ still sometimes include palm oil,” Sylejmani said. “This is notably true for some brands of plant-based margarine and spreads which use it as a substitute for trans fats. It’s always insightful to check ingredient lists if you’re trying to avoid or monitor palm oil consumption.”
Ultra-Processed Food
While ultra-processed foods often contain palm oil, this is not the only ingredient and characteristic that makes them foes of MS. Such foods have high amounts of free sugars, saturated fat, and salt and lower levels of protein, fiber, antioxidants, and potassium.
Dietary Friends
A wealth of research indicates that the Mediterranean diet is an especially healthy eating plan and is linked to a reduced risk of chronic disease, including neurodegenerative diseases like MS, according to a study published in Nutrients. The Mediterranean diet is rich in nutrient-dense foods that promote health.
According to some studies, fatty fish is one of its most beneficial components.
Fatty Fish
Fatty fish is a good source of a healthy fat known as omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.
After comparing dietary records with MS diagnoses, the researchers determined that moderate intake of fatty fish was linked to a reduced risk of MS compared to no intake. The protective effect was associated with eating the fish once, twice, or more per week. Intriguingly, eating fatty fish once per week was marginally more protective than eating it two times or more per week.
When asked whether the benefit for white matter would translate to less symptoms or a less severe progression of MS, Casaccia replied, “I would say yes, as integrity of white matter tracts would indicate less damage.”
Casaccia added that marine sources of omega-3 fat include the fatty fish varieties of salmon, mackerel, sardines, anchovies, and herring, as well as algae. Non-marine sources of omega-3 fatty acids include chia seeds and walnuts.
Mediterranean Diet
In addition to fatty fish, the Mediterranean diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, beans, seeds, nuts, olive oil, and minimally processed grains. It also includes a moderate amount of dairy foods and is low in red meat.
The study above, published in Nutrients, evaluated people with MS in Italy to see whether adherence to the Mediterranean diet could affect the severity of the condition. Using data from dietary diaries and MS clinical scores, the researchers found that higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet and higher fiber intake were linked to lower MS severity.
The researchers noted that foods in the Mediterranean diet contain nutrients that can reduce neuroinflammation and improve the composition of the gut microbiome. Fruits, vegetables, and beans contain fiber and antioxidants, such as vitamins and polyphenols. Olive oil contains polyphenol antioxidants, and, as aforementioned, fish is plentiful in omega-3 fatty acids.
Vitamin D Foods
The Mediterranean diet contains several foods that are good sources of vitamin D, a nutrient that plays a role in MS. A review published in Neurology and Therapy looked at research on the connection between vitamin D and MS and concluded that low levels of vitamin D are linked to increased risk and severity of MS. Vitamin D has several properties that enhance immunity.
In an email to The Epoch Times, Dr. Rabih Kashouty, neurologist and medical director of Premier Neurology & Wellness Center, said, “Foods like egg yolks, fatty fish, fortified dairy products, and beef liver have significant Vitamin D content and are highly recommended for MS patients.”
The Dietary Difference
Taking steps to improve one’s diet can take considerable effort. Is it worth it? How much of a difference can diet make in the debilitating symptoms of MS?
“Many studies have identified crucial links between dietary choices and the progression of MS,” Kashouty said. “They reinforce that lifestyle choices, such as diet, can have a profound impact on the course of many neurological diseases, including MS.”
Thus, efforts of those with MS, such as avoiding or limiting processed foods and focusing on the nutrient-dense foods of the Mediterranean diet as defined above, are well worthwhile.
If people find it challenging to switch from a diet that is largely processed to a healthy eating plan like the Mediterranean diet, they may wish to make one change at a time. For instance, they could start eating more fruits and vegetables. Those who experience difficulty could benefit from getting personalized guidance from a dietitian.
