1 of 2 | A diet rich in cod and other oily fish containing omega-3 fatty acids could reduce the progression and worsening of multiple sclerosis in patients already diagnosed with the incurable autoimmune disease, according a Swedish study released Tuesday. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
A diet rich in fish may help slow down the progression of the incurable, often disabling autoimmune disease of multiple sclerosis, according to new, long-term Swedish study published Tuesday.
While several past studies have shown a powerful relationship between the omega-3 fatty acids found in oily fish, such as salmon and cod, and the prevention of MS, the new effort appears to also show that fish consumption can slow down the progression or worsening of the disease over lengthy periods of time. Advertisement
New evidence also exists that lean, as well as oily fish, can provide long-term benefits for battling MS, leading researchers to surmise that other ingredients present in all fish — perhaps the abundant amino acid taurine — could provide new avenues for MS treatment.
The new study appeared Tuesday in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry. One of its lead authors, Dr. Anna Hedstrom of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, said the results are significant because they are among the first to show that a diet rich in fish can do more than just prevent the onset of the disease, which affects about 1 million U.S. residents. Advertisement
“We found that patients who increased their fish consumption post-diagnosis also experienced a lower risk of disability progression,” Hedstrom told UPI in an email. “This suggests that dietary modifications — even after MS diagnosis — may still influence disease course, which is highly relevant for patients looking for lifestyle-based strategies to complement medical treatment.”
The longitudinal study, which tracked more than 2,700 MS patients over a period of 15 years across Sweden, provides “robust” evidence that higher total fish consumption is associated with a reduced risk of MS disability worsening, including progression from a “3” rating on a widely used disability status scale to a “4.”
Moreover, the results yielded another finding that could trigger a push into new treatment avenues for MS, a disease in which the body’s immune system attacks the “myelin sheath” fatty layer surrounding nerves. Results showing lean fish consumption also producing long-term benefits indicates other micronutrients rather than just omega-3 acids could be at play.
Hedstrom one such ingredient could be taurine, an abundant amino acid found in natural dietary sources such as eggs, milk, seafood and meat. It is thought to play a central role as a neurotransmitter and a protector of the nervous system. Advertisement
“The fact that both lean and oily fish were associated with a reduced risk of disability progression suggests that multiple nutrients in fish may contribute to their beneficial effects,” she said.
“While omega-3 fatty acids in oily fish are well known for their anti-inflammatory properties, the similar findings for lean fish consumption suggest that other bioactive compounds, such as taurine, may also play a role.”
Taurine, she added, “is an interesting candidate for further exploration as a potential modulator of neuroinflammation in MS and other autoimmune diseases.”
Many MS sufferers already take omega-3 supplements for their anti-inflammatory and neurological health benefits.
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society has cited earlier research associating fish consumption with lower risks of developing MS, including one in study in which participants with a high fish intake had a 45% reduced risk of having diagnoses of MS or a related condition, Clinically Isolated Syndrome, when compared with the ones with a low fish intake.
Kathy Zackowski, the MS Society’s associate vice president for research, told UPI that while the apparent link between fish consumption and controlling the disease is a promising one, sufferers shouldn’t assume any one food alone will affect their condition.
“It’s easy to get the message ‘eat fish’ when you have MS, but we really need to understand what features in the fish are actually contributing to fighting MS — is it the omega-3 fatty acids? Is it other things that are in certain kinds of fish? Is it the way the fish are grown that make a difference? Do we need a certain volume to get the benefits? Advertisement
“No one knows. I think these are questions that we haven’t even gotten to yet. There are still many holes in what we understand.”
Zackowski said it’s crucial for MS sufferers who are desperately seeking answers for their debilitating plights to understand that while eating fish may be beneficial, it’s just one aspect of a diet that requires “a wide variety of nutrients for a healthy life.”
