Dietary treatments for multiple sclerosis

Clinical and experimental data suggest that certain dietary regimens, particularly those including polyunsaturated fatty acids, and vitamins might improve outcomes in people with multiple sclerosis. Many diets have been proposed for treating the symptoms of the disease. Patients have reported a decrease of symptoms after long-term application of the diets; however no controlled trials have been able to proof their efficacy. Even if these diets really are benefitial for people with MS, it is uncertain whether this fact is due to some special traits of the diets or simply that they are beneficial for whole body health.

Swank Multiple Sclerosis Diet
Decades of studies and research have also contributed to a popular following for treating the symptoms of the disease by diet. One such alternative treatment is the Swank Multiple Sclerosis Diet by Dr. Roy Swank who details the specifics of his diet guidelines in a book. The main restriction is the complete elimination of saturated fats and hydrogenated oils. Numerous patients have reported a decrease and even a complete elimination of symptoms after long-term application of the diet. Neurologists' acceptance of this treatment is mixed, though most will agree the rigors of the diet are beneficial for whole body health, and should be used in conjunction with MS treatments, and not as a replacement.

The Optimal Diet
In Poland, Jan Kwasniewski's The Optimal Diet has been claimed to partially or fully cure Multiple Sclerosis. If the disease has lasted more than 5 years, it is difficult to obtain a cure, although improvements in symptoms and a stop of the progression is often observed. At several health clinics in Poland, patients are given this diet together with electromedicine (or "selective currents) . In addition to implementing the diet - which is very rich in animal fats and egg yolks and limits carbohydrates to approximately 50 grams daily - people with MS are also often served brains several times per week. It should be noted that although various health clinics and doctors in Poland have reported promising results for the treatment of MS (and other diseases) with "The Optimal Diet", no results have yet been published in any peer-reviewed journal, and therefore these reports have a questionable value. Even if the diet really was able to partially or fully cure MS, it is uncertain whether this fact is due to some special traits of the diet or simply that it is a low carbohydrate diet

The Best Bet Diet
The Best Bet Diet claims that allergenic foods and digestive problems can leak dangerous proteins into the circulatory system and trigger the known autoimmunity. Proponents of this diet have claimed to partially or fully cure Multiple Sclerosis.

As before, no results have yet been published in any peer-reviewed journal, and therefore these claims have a questionable value.

Effectiveness of dietary treatments
The effectiveness of dietary therapies for multiple sclerosis is untested or unclear. The Cochrane Library reviewed all available evidence on dietary therapies in MS, and concluded:

As of 2007, the first clinical trial comparing two dietary treatments has been started by a Canadian charity. They will compare the outcome of The Best Bet Diet (their own proposal) versus the MS society of Britain recommended diet.