by Dr. Deneb Bates

The findings of several recent studies on diet and MS were presented at the American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting.

Past studies done with EAE, the animal model of MS, have shown benefits from different dietary approaches, including low-calorie, low-fat, and low-salt diets.  In an effort to better understand genetic and environmental risk factors for developing MS, several studies were done analyzing the dietary intake of pediatric patients with MS, with the goal of finding dietary patterns that might be associated with onset or prevention of disease.  Based on answers to a dietary survey, no significant association was found between fat, fiber or salt intake with pediatric MS. 

Another study that evaluated dietary patterns in women with MS showed that women with MS had a lower intake of some important nutrients that are commonly found in various whole foods. These included folate (found in beans and leafy greens), vitamin E (in nuts, seeds, whole grains and avocado), magnesium (also high in nuts and whole grains and present in most fruits and vegetables), lutein-zeaxanthin (found in fruits, spinach, tomatoes, corn), and quercetin (onions, apples and tea are good sources). 

The study suggests that, compared with healthy controls, women with MS consume fewer of these micronutrients, which have neuroprotective anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects.  Although these are preliminary findings, there’s no reason to wait for more evidence to eat a healthy, colorful whole foods diet!