Multiple Sclerosis

By Bonnie Jenkins, Advanced Natural Medicine

What do Annette Funicello, Teri Garr, Lena Horne, Montel Williams and Neil Cavuto have in common? They all have multiple sclerosis (MS). While these celebrities put a famous face on this devastating disease, between 250,000 to 350,000 ordinary Americans have been diagnosed with the condition. More frightening, recent reports suggest that MS may be 50 percent more common than previously believed, making the statistics for this disease truly staggering.

According to the official statistics, MS affects two to three times more women than men and is the most common neurological disease affecting young adults. Yet, as common as it is, MS is a complicated and unpredictable disease that can cause a lack of coordination, difficulties walking, numbness and tingling in the hands and feet, fatigue, facial pain, visual problems, slurred speech and cognitive lapses.

While no two cases are alike, 85 percent of people with MS have “flare-ups” followed by complete remission. The remaining 15 percent experience a gradual worsening of their disease without any reprieve. Worst of all, researchers don’t know what causes the disease and there is no cure. But diet, supplements and lifestyle choices can help someone with MS enjoy longer periods of remission.

Dissecting MS

MS is an autoimmune disease (a disease in which the body attacks its own tissue) affecting the central nervous system. As a result, MS causes inflammation and scarring of myelin – the “coating” that covers and protects the nerve fibers in the brain, spinal cord and optical nerves. When inflammation occurs, the nervous system can’t send the messages vital to keep your body functioning properly. It is similar to a short-circuit causes by an electrical wire that’s missing part of its plastic coating.

Conventional medicine has two types of drugs to help alleviate symptoms – and they are fairly good at what they do. The first are immunomodulators that reduce the frequency and severity of attacks. These drugs also delay the onset of permanent disabilities and reduce the signs of injury within the brain as seen on MRI scans. The second are corticosteroids which are used to shorten attacks. But steroids can’t be used on an ongoing basis, so they can only provide a temporary reprieve. Fortunately, if you or someone you love suffers from MS, there are other therapies that can greatly improve your quality of life.

Get Smart with Ginkgo

For centuries, ginkgo biloba has been prescribed by practitioners of Chinese medicine to improve memory loss, brain function, depression and circulation. With improved circulation, the body sends more blood and oxygen to the brain, which increases memory and mental alertness. Of course, this is a boon for people with MS who are suffering from cognitive problems.

In a six-month double blind, placebo-controlled pilot study of 23 individuals with mild MS, physicians noted better performance on neuropsychological tests by patients who took ginkgo biloba compared to those who took the placebo. One reason for this improvement might be ginkgo’s ability to neutralize the toxins released by white blood cells in the brain.

But ginkgo’s benefit doesn’t end there. Another small double-blind trial recently tested the herb’s impact on fatigue in 22 MS patients. Half received 240 mg. of ginkgo while the other half took a placebo. After four weeks, those taking the ginkgo reported marked improvement in fatigue, the severity of symptoms and their ability to function normally.

Healing Fats

Linoleic acid, which is found in omega-6 fats like sunflower seeds, walnuts, margarine and peanut butter, can help manage disability. In the early 1980s, three separate trials were conducted which looked at linoleic acid’s role in managing MS. Overall, 181 MS patients participated with 90 people receiving linoleic acid and 91 receiving oleic acid, a non-essential fatty acid in olive oil.

Two of the trials gave participants 17 g. of linoleic acid daily in the form of sunflower oil, with 8g. of olive oil as the control substance. The third trial gave participants 23g. of linoleic acid each day in the form of a sunflower spread, with participants in the control group receiving 16g. of an olive oil spread. The patients were then followed for an average of 2½ years.

By the end of the trials, disability appeared to slow down in those who took linoleic acid compared with the people who received oleic acid. And, while linoleic acid didn’t seem to lessen the number of relapses the MS patients experienced, it did reduce their severity and duration.

More recently, Italian researchers discovered that linolic acid helps protect the myelin sheath protecting nerves and that people with MS have lower blood levels of linoleic acid. To make sure you’re getting enough linoleic acid, try supplementing with 6,300 mg. of borage oil or 4,500 mg. of evening primrose oil in addition to boosting the amount of linoleic acid in your diet.

One Last Thing ...

While no one has been able to pinpoint the exact cause of MS, there is some evidence suggesting that a vitamin D deficiency might play a major role in the development of the disease. According to a recent Harvard study, women who take a multivitamin containing vitamin D are 40 percent less likely to develop MS than those who don’t.

The Harvard researchers examined data collected from two large studies involving 187,563 women. The participants’ diets and use of multivitamin supplements were measured in the beginning of the study and then again every four years. Out of the 187,563 women participating in the study, 173 developed MS.

The women were then divided into groups based on their vitamin D use. It turns out that the risk of developing MS was lower both for those who took at least 400 IU of vitamin D in supplemental form and for those with high intakes from both supplements and food. But there wasn’t any benefit for women who got their vitamin D solely from the foods they ate.

Although this study evaluated the impact of 400 IU of vitamin D, new research suggests that more is needed for optimum health. In fact, some scientists recommend taking 1,000 to 1,500 IU of vitamin D daily to protect against future disease like cancer and MS.

This Just In ...

Do you suffer from irritable bowel syndrome? Join the club. This once rare condition now affects between 20 and 30 percent of Americans, the vast majority of whom are women. It’s a decidedly unglamorous condition marked by erratic and painful intestinal contractions, constipation and/or diarrhea, and digestive malfunctions that can include food allergies.

For those suffering from the constipation variety of IBS, modern medicine offered hope via a drug called Zelnorm. But now Zelnorm, the only drug approved by the FDA for IBS, has been withdrawn from the market after almost 30 placebo-controlled studies showed that it significantly increases the risk of angina and stroke.

Luckily, you can manage your symptoms without a dangerous drug. First and foremost, boost your soluble fiber intake to at least 25 grams per day. Good sources include oatmeal, barley, dried beans, nuts, bran, carrots, apples, flax and psyllium seed. This advice holds true no matter what type of IBS you suffer from since fiber regulates your intestinal tract. You also need to avoid dietary triggers like food that is high in fat, refined sugar and wheat, caffeine, coffee (even decaf), carbonation or alcohol.

Because stress plays an enormous role in triggering IBS symptoms, adopting a daily routine of breathing exercises, meditation and yoga can help keep stress in check. Progressive relaxation (where you consciously relax your muscles from head to toe) may also reduce anxiety and help subdue the symptoms of IBS. In a small study of 16 people with IBS, those who practiced progressive relaxation daily for a month were five times more likely to report improvement in their conditions than people who merely kept records of their symptoms.

When it comes to supplements, digestive enzymes – which usually contain such ingredients as amylase, lactase, protease, and lipase – enhance the digestive process, easing not only the symptoms of IBS but also chronic indigestion. Another way to keep symptoms at bay is with peppermint oil. In a newly published study of 57 patients with IBS, 75 percent of those taking a peppermint supplement experienced a 50 percent reduction in abdominal symptoms compared to just 38 percent of those taking a placebo. Just make sure you get an enteric-coated supplement to protect your stomach and help prevent absorption of the peppermint before it gets to your colon.

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References:

Cappello G, Spezzaferro M, Grossi L, et al. “Peppermint oil (Mintoil®) in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome: A prospective double blind placebo-controlled randomized trial.” Digestive and Liver Disease. Available online 8 April 2007.

Di Biase A, Salvati S. “Exogenous lipids in myelination and myelination.” Kaohsiung Journal of Medical Science. 1997;13:19-29.

Dworkin RH, Bates D, Millar JHD, et al. “Linoleic acid and multiple sclerosis: a reanalysis of three double-blind trials.” Neurology. 1984; 34:1441-1445.

Johnson SK, Diamone, BJ, Rausch S, et al. “The effect of Ginkgo biloba on functional measures in multiple sclerosis: a pilot randomized controlled trial.” Explore. 2006;2:19-24.

Munger KL, Zhang SM, O'Reilly E, et al. “Vitamin D intake and incidence of multiple sclerosis.” Neurology. 2004;63:939.