MS Diet: Foods to Eat & Avoid

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the most commonly experienced neurological disorders. MS affects almost one million U.S. adults and over two million people worldwide. MS is two to three times more common among women than men.

In this article, the ways diet may affect MS are explained. Read on for a dietary guide to help you manage your MS symptoms.

What is MS?

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disorder that gradually destroys the protective coverings around your nerve fibers. These protective coverings are called myelin sheaths.

Over time, multiple sclerosis can permanently damage nerves, affecting the communication between the brain and body.

Symptoms of MS may include:

Bladder and bowel dysfunction
Fatigue
Tingling and numbness
Difficulty moving
Impaired vision
Learning and memory difficulties

MS is wildly complex, and the way the disease progresses may vary from person to person. Scientists are not sure what causes MS or how to cure it, but they know that immune, environmental, and genetic factors are involved.

Although diet cannot completely cure MS, some research suggests that making dietary changes may help people with MS better manage their symptoms, and in turn, improve their quality of life.

How Can Diet Affect MS?

There are no official dietary guidelines for MS because no two people with MS experience the disease in the same way. However, scientists believe that nutrition may have an influence. MS is more prevalent in Western societies than in developing nations, which indicates that diet may play a key role.

These recommendations for people with MS aim to help manage symptoms and improve the overall quality of life. Diet may help with MS in multiple ways, including:

Preventing or controlling the disease
Helping manage symptoms
Reducing flare-ups

An ideal MS-friendly diet should be:

High in antioxidants to fight inflammation
High in fiber to aid in bowel movements
Calcium and vitamin D to fight osteoporosis
Other vitamins and minerals to fight fatigue and promote health and wellness

Limit foods that have been linked to chronic inflammation and other poor health outcomes, such as fried foods and foods high in sugar. These foods may make day-to-day activities more difficult for those with MS.

Some evidence suggests that patterned diets, such as the ketogenic diet, may help improve MS symptoms. However, this research is still ongoing, and scientists need to investigate the role of diet in MS further.

Certain nutrients, including fish oil and vitamin B, may benefit people with mild to moderate MS. These nutrients may lead to better functioning and improved quality of life.

Increased fat, cholesterol, folate, iron, and magnesium intakes are associated with positive changes in symptoms. Decreased carb intake also appears to be beneficial.

Ketogenic diets and intermittent fasting for multiple sclerosis are currently being studied.

Some evidence suggests that a paleolithic diet with supplementation may help improve fatigue symptoms in MS patients.

There is evidence that people with multiple sclerosis may be more likely to be deficient in some nutrients, including vitamins A, B12, and D.

Taking vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, antioxidants, plant compounds, and melatonin may improve MS symptoms.

Summary

There are no official dietary guidelines for MS. However, research suggests that making certain dietary changes may help slow the progression of the disease and manage MS symptoms to improve quality of life. Scientists need to do more research before making official recommendations about many dietary suggestions discussed above, but preliminary research is promising.

Foods to include in an MS-friendly diet include: