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The influence of nutritional factors on the prognosis of multiple sclerosis

Nature Reviews Neurology volume 8, pages 678–689 (2012)Cite this article

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Abstract

The effect of nutrition and dietary supplements on the course of multiple sclerosis (MS) is a topic of great interest to both patients and clinicians. In particular, vitamin D status has been shown to influence both the incidence and the course of MS. High vitamin D levels are probably protective against the development of MS, although the efficacy of vitamin D supplementation in slowing progression of MS remains to be established. The influence of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) on the development and course of MS has also long been under investigation. Small clinical trials suggest a modest reduction in the severity and duration of relapses in patients with MS receiving PUFA supplements. Other nutritional factors have been evaluated for their effect on MS disease progression, including milk proteins, gluten, probiotics, antioxidants (uric acid, vitamins A, C and E, lipoic acid), polyphenols, Ginkgo biloba extracts and curcumin. However, further studies are needed to evaluate the effects of these dietary components on the relapse rate and progression of MS. This Review gives an overview of the literature on the nutritional factors most commonly implicated as having an effect on MS and discusses the biological rationale that is thought to underlie their influence.

Key Points

  • Dietary changes and nutritional supplements are widely used by patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), but reliable evidence of their risks, benefits, and underlying mechanisms is limited

  • In observational studies, low vitamin D levels are associated with a worse course of disease in patients with MS

  • Polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation and a low-fat diet attenuate MS immune responses in vitro and in animal models, but limited trials have shown no clear benefit in patients with MS

  • Antioxidants, probiotics and vitamin B12 supplementation attenuate MS immune responses in vitro and reduce disease symptoms in animal models, but data from human studies are limited

  • Milk proteins and gluten are thought to worsen the outcomes of patients with MS, but no randomized controlled trials have assessed the effect of dietary restrictions in this setting

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Figure 1: Nutritional factors and their potential effects on MS

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Acknowledgements

G. von Geldern is supported by grants from Project Restore at the Johns Hopkins University Comprehensive MS Center. E. Mowry is supported by a grant from the NIH (K23NS067055).

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  1. Department of Neurology, Division of Neuroimmunology and Neurological Infections, John Hopkins University School of Medicine, Pathology Building Room 627, 600 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, 21287, MD, USA

    Gloria von Geldern & Ellen M. Mowry

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G. von Geldern researched most of the data and drafted the article with substantial contributions from E. M. Mowry; both authors contributed equally to discussion of the content, reviewing, and/or editing of the manuscript before submission.

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von Geldern, G., Mowry, E. The influence of nutritional factors on the prognosis of multiple sclerosis. Nat Rev Neurol 8, 678–689 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrneurol.2012.194

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