This is a question that patients often ask. They understand that they need a specific MS medication, but often there is a desire to do something additional – on their own initiative and under their own control. Topics such as nutrition, dietary supplements, specific diets or training programs are then inquired about.
Keeping an overview is not so easy given the abundance of offers. Because in addition to the complementary providers on the Internet, scientific medicine now also deals intensively with these topics and there are a wealth of studies and data. If one were to adhere to everything that is described and recommended somewhere, one would probably not have a free minute anymore.
The question is therefore, what are sensible recommendations at the end of 2018 if you have MS. What can be clearly said is that smokers are worse off. If at all possible, you should quit smoking. Smokers have more severe relapses and a worse progressive course of the disease.
It is also undisputed that physical fitness boosts brain health and generally has positive effects on quality of life. In addition, a variety of symptoms of the disease can be alleviated through sport and exercise. Sport and exercise also counteract obesity, which has also been identified as a risk factor in MS in recent years.
The topic of nutrition is as complex as never before – and in view of the complexity, it is perhaps best to keep things as simple as possible. Probably the one who eats healthily and consciously according to general principles is right. Whether the effect of “healthy” eating only goes through the reduction of obesity and control of accompanying diseases, or whether there are actually individual ingredients that specifically interfere with the pathogenesis of MS, is currently the subject of extensive research. But I ultimately believe that there is not the “one” essential dietary component – and therefore I would also advise against specific diets – whether salt-reduced, raw food, Paleo, Keto diets etc. These strategies always carry the risk of a one-sided diet and are not always beneficial to quality of life for everyone.
The blueprint for a healthy diet, in my view, is what is commonly referred to as the Mediterranean diet – it is tasty, balanced and takes into account essential medical principles, not only with regard to neurological diseases, but also cardiovascular diseases.
Finally, the question arises about Vitamin D. I think given the study situation, there is nothing to object to a pragmatic substitution of Vitamin D. Here I would recommend doses of approx. 2000 IU per day or a single dose of 20,000 IU per week. On the other hand, I would advise against ultra-high-dose concepts. Also, given the lack of evidence, it is probably not worthwhile to spend too much money on various dietary supplements. Ultimately, a certain degree of serenity seems appropriate to me with regard to the many concepts that are advertised and discussed on the Internet. One should also not do anything that does not fit with one’s personal life concept.
