A recent study, published in the Multiple Sclerosis Journal, found that a pro-inflammatory diet is linked to an increased risk of relapse for multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. The researchers found that a more pro-inflammatory diet is associated with a higher risk of relapses and more inflammatory brain lesions for MS patients in the years following their first disease attack. However, dietary intake did not impact disability progression or the volume of lesions with chronic inflammation, as seen on MRI scans.
MS is an autoimmune disease that is characterized by chronic inflammation that can damage nerve cells, impacting the brain, spinal cord, optic nerves, and nerves of the central nervous system.
A pro-inflammatory diet, as per the study, includes foods containing high amounts of fats and proteins. These foods are thought to drive chronic inflammation and immune dysregulation that could affect the course of MS. The study found that an anti-inflammatory diet can help patients prevent flare-ups. An anti-inflammatory diet includes consuming foods high in fiber and other nutrients, including turmeric and beta-carotene.
MS is usually treated with drugs that aim to shift the immune system into a less inflammatory state. “Disease modifying agents are a crucial part of the treatment regimen in reducing the frequency of relapses and slowing the progression of the disease. They are not helpful at relieving a patients’ immediate MS symptoms, treating exacerbations, or shortening the duration of a relapse,” said Krupa Pandey, M.D., Director of the Hackensack Meridian Neuroscience Institute at Hackensack University Medical Center’s Multiple Sclerosis Center, a certified center for excellence recognized by the National MS Society. “An anti-inflammatory diet can be an excellent complement to medications by promoting a less inflammatory environment.”
Part of the comprehensive treatment at Hackensack Meridian’s Neuroscience Institute MS Center involves meeting with a dietitian. “We regularly recommend MS patients begin an anti-inflammatory diet, like the Mediterranean diet,” said Susan Kraus, MS Center registered dietitian. “The Mediterranean diet not only limits inflammation, but is found to have lessened the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease.” The MS Center recommends whole foods rather than processed foods, whole grains and beans, along with heart-healthy fats. “We strongly suggest a broad spectrum of fruits and vegetables in every color, including reds like tomatoes, apples, and strawberries, blues like eggplant, cabbage, and berries, greens like spinach, kale, peppers, and yellows like squashes, corn, peas, peaches, and cantaloupes,” Kraus said.
It is important to note that although a change in diet has shown benefits for MS patients, there is no one-size-fits-all diet for MS. “Foods and diets can affect patients differently, and any dietary changes should be discussed with physicians in conjunction with an understanding of medical history and medications being taken,” Kraus added.
The study’s findings indicate that a pro-inflammatory diet can have an impact on the severity of MS in its early stages. However, more research is required to determine the long-term effects of diet on MS progression.
