Relief from multiple sclerosis symptoms could be as close as the kitchen, scientists at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation have discovered.
In experiments covering four years, scientists Scott Plafker, Ph.D., and Katarzyna Zyla-Jackson, Ph.D., found that a high-fat, low-carb and fiber-enriched diet prevented the onset of MS symptoms in mouse models of the disease. The same diet also reduced symptoms in mice already showing signs of the disease.
The findings support Plafker’s hypothesis that a diet of ultra-processed foods contributes to autoimmune diseases like MS.
“Genetic changes happen very slowly – just a little bit per generation – so that can’t account for the increased incidence in autoimmune diseases we’ve seen over the last several decades,” Plafker said. “Beyond improved diagnostics, that leaves environmental factors as a primary driver of this increase, and at least for MS, we believe dietary changes may be a leading culprit.”
MS affects nearly 1 million Americans. It occurs when the body’s immune system attacks the insulating layer that protects nerves in the brain and spinal cord. The resulting inflammation can cause vision issues, muscle spasms, tremors and paralysis. In its most common form, the disease includes periods of stability and relapse.
In OMRF’s study, Plafker and Zyla-Jackson found that in mice, a ketogenic – or “keto” – diet protected against the losses of vision and motor function that typically accompany the disease.
A keto diet limits carbohydrates and replaces them with low-carb vegetables and foods rich in fat, such as fish, certain nuts, butter, cheese, avocados, eggs and olive oil.
“A keto diet can’t simply replace medications that are already working well for MS, but our study indicates that it appears to be a helpful supplement for those medications,” said Zyla-Jackson, a registered dietician.
Gabriel Pardo, M.D., and his team at OMRF’s MS Center of Excellence care for more than 3,000 people with MS from Oklahoma and surrounding states. Pardo said that based on the research from Plafker’s lab, he would discuss incorporating a keto diet with many of his patients.
“Diet is a crucial consideration for people with MS, and this discovery gives us more clarity in how we can approach this very challenging disease,” said Pardo, a neurologist and neuro-ophthalmologist. “There’s no universal treatment yet, but what Drs. Plafker and Zyla-Jackson have discovered could prove beneficial in managing symptoms and possibly even preventing relapses.”
Plafker and Zyla-Jackson are now conducting experiments to determine why the keto diet reduces or prevents MS symptoms. One focus is the microbiome, which is composed of trillions of microbes and which scientists increasingly suspect to be a key player in numerous medical conditions.
“A keto diet can be hard to stick to, especially in the beginning, because it’s such a shift from the fast and ultra-processed foods that many Americans have become accustomed to,” Plafker said. “Understanding what makes it so impactful in MS may open the door to developing supplements or therapies that mimic its effects for patients.”
The research was published in the journal Frontiers in Neurology. It was supported by grants R01EY033782 and P30EY021725 from the National Eye Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, with additional funding from Oklahoma City’s Presbyterian Health Foundation and Research to Prevent Blindness.
