Diet for MS, what about autism?

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Diet for MS, what about autism?Myelin is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as the omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for brain and nerve development and function. In the 1940s, Swank theorized that people with MS had been consuming far too much saturated fat (found in meat). Later, as chairman of the department of neurology at Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, and head of his own MS clinic, he carefully tracked the health of patients for 34 years. He found that those eating low-fat diets (less than 20 grams daily) suffered only "slight" myelin deterioration and 95 percent survived the study. In contrast, 80 percent of the patients eating moderate to high-fat diets (25 to 41 grams daily) had a serious progression of their MS symptoms, with only 20 percent living through the end of the study.As significant as his findings were, however, Swank may have overlooked the larger dietary picture of fats and oils. According to S. Boyd Eaton, M.D., of Emory University, Atlanta, the ratios of modern dietary fats bear little resemblance to evolutionary patterns of fat intake, to which our genes are accustomed. The domestication of cattle has skewed fatty acid ratios in beef, so there's more saturated fat; game meats have a fat profile resembling that of salmon. In addition, the modern ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids is about 11:1. In the paleolithic diet, which people and primates evolved on, the ratio ranged from 4:1 to 1:1, according to Artemis Simopoulos, M.D., and Jo Robinson, authors of The Omega Plan (HarperCollins, 1998).Both families of fats are essential for health and, in addition to their roles in brain and nerve function, are needed to produce a variety of immune compounds, such as the hormone-like eicosanoids and cytokines. Their effects, though, are almost diametrically opposed. High intake of the omega-6s, such as through the consumption of fried foods and salad dressings, promote production of inflammatory eicosanoids and cytokines. In contrast, the omega-3s form anti-inflammatory eicosanoids and cytokines-and have been useful in other autoimmune disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis. Another group of fatty acids, the omega-9s (found in olive and canola oils), also have an antiinflammatory effect.In a recent article in the journal Neurology , Klaus Lauer, M.D., of Darmstadt, Germany, noted that large amounts (20-25 grams daily) of omega-6 fatty acids have been found to reduce the severity of MS in newly diagnosed cases, but had no affect on long-established cases. In one study, adding 2-3 grams of omega-3 fatty acids (from fish oils) as well helped ease symptoms a bit more, according to Lauer.Part of the problem, according to David Horrobin, Ph.D., M.B., a fatty acid researcher and editor of the journal Medical Hypothesis, is that the modern diet is flooded with poor quality omega-6 fatty acids (in the form of cooking or frying oils), which seem to overwhelm delta-6-desaturase, a crucial enzyme. Inadequate delta-6-desaturase activity limits the conversion of linoleic acid, found in vegetable oils, to gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), a highly beneficial and antiinflammatory omega-6 fatty acid. To leapfrog this problem, Horrobin often recommends that people take evening primrose oil supplements, which are rich in GLA and sidestep the sluggish enzyme. Fish or flaxseed oil capsules, which contain the omega-3 fatty acids, might also help. Vitamins May Protect, Rebuild TissueThe omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, like most fats and oils, are highly susceptible to free radicals, unbalanced molecules that oxidize and damage cells. Free radicals are produced during inflammatory reactions-they destroy bacteria and, by activating "adhesion molecules," maintain inflammation. However, chronic or severe inflammation breaks down normal tissues, such as myelin, and several studies have found MS patients to have elevated levels of free radical damage.While antioxidant nutrients are well established for their ability to quench free radicals, few studies have actually scientifically tested the use of antioxidants in MS patients. One, described in Biological Trace Element Research found that a combination of antioxidants (6 mg selenium, 2 grams vitamin C, and 480 mg vitamin E) did increase levels of glutathione peroxidase, a key antioxidant enzyme.There's other promising, though indirect, research indicating that antioxidant nutrients should help ease MS symptoms. Vitamins C and E, flavonoids (e.g., Pycnogenol®), and vitamin-like alpha-lipoic acid-all antioxidants-quench free radicals and are well established for their antiinflammatory properties.Other vitamins, particularly those of the B complex, may also help maintain or rebuild myelin in MS patients. Several years ago, E H. Reynolds, M.D., of King's College Hospital, London, measured B12 levels among many MS patients. Nearly all were deficient in the vitamin, though they did not exhibit signs of pernicious anemia. Other studies and clinical experiences reinforce the importance of vitamin B12. In one study, researchers found that low B12 levels were associated with the early onset of MS, particularly in patients under age 18.While vitamin B12 has not become a common therapy for MS, it may be helpful. Several years ago, researchers at Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan, noted B12 abnormalities in 24 MS patients and injected six of them with massive doses (60 mg, not mcg) of the vitamin daily for six months. Visual and auditory symptoms improved, but muscle function did not.Folic acid, another B vitamin, might also help in MS. Swiss doctors have theorized that incomplete breakdown of dietary sugar, particularly fructose, may yield formaldehyde, a toxic compound that attacks myelin. Folic acid might block this damage. The apparent association of low B12 and folic acid with MS touches on another possible intriguing cause of the disease: inefficient methylation.Methylation, which donates carbon and hydrogen molecules to chemical reactions, is a key process in the building of new molecules, particularly deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), and new cells. Vitamins B12 and folic acid play essential roles in methylation and DNA synthesis and the production of new cells. Inadequate levels of these vitamins, or defects in the body's use of them, could impair the growth of myelin and nerve cells.According to a team of researchers at the Baylor Research Institute, Dallas, Texas, S-adenosyl-methionine (SAM) might also be helpful, because it regulates methylation and helps regenerate myelin. Deficiencies of B12 and folic acid lower SAM production. Because SAM is an expensive supplement, it may be better trying extra B12 and folic acid before SAM. In addition, betaine, also known as trimethylglycine, can boost SAM levels in the body. Diet/Geography LinkEven the geographical pattern of MS may have some dietary links.MS researchers have long recognized that the incidence of MS generally increases farther north and south from the equator, correlating to less sunlight. Sunlight activates the body's production of vitamin D, and people living farther from the equator would, over the course of a year, make less vitamin D.This relationship doesn't confirm that a lack of vitamin D increases the risk of MS. But there's other tantalizing data. According to a report by C. E. Hayes, Ph.D., and his colleagues at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, vitamin D can prevent experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, the mouse version of human MS.Another variable appears to be the amount of fish consumed, particularly by people living at extreme latitudes. For example, along the coast of Norway and throughout Japan, the incidence of MS is less than expected, based on latitude. Fish, rich in the antiinflammatory omega-3 fatty acids, is a major dietary constituent in these areas and may be protective. In fact, the high incidence of MS among people of Scottish descent might reflect an interaction between a genetic propensity toward the disease and a modern diet containing less fish.For the most part, nutrition research on MS languishes in medical libraries. Most MS research dollars are earmarked for identifying the molecular causes of the disease and developing new drugs. Yet it's clear that diet is a powerful influence on the development and progression of MS. A cure for MS is far from being at hand. However, effective, safe, and inexpensive treatments do exist. The Swank Diet for Multiple SclerosisThe Swank Clinic, located in Beaverton, Ore., specializes in the treatment of multiple sclerosis. Roy L. Swank, M.D., who recently retired, developed a low-fat diet to treat the diet. He recommended that MS patients slash their intake of saturated fat (found in red meat), cutting total fat intake (from all sources) to 20 grams day, which should include 1 teaspoonful (5 grams) of code liver oil, rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids. Swank also recommended a standard multivitamin, 1,000 mg of vitamin C, and 400 IU of vitamin E daily. You can contact the clinic by phone (503.520.1050), fax (503.520.1223), or by writing to the Swank Clinic, 13655 SW Jenkins Road, Beaverton, Ore., 97005 (please include a self-addressed stamped envelope).It may also be worthwhile increasing your intake of "good" (antiinflammatory) fats while decreasing "bad" (proinflammatory). To do this, reduce or eliminate fried foods, such as fried chicken and french fries; salad dressings, unless made with olive or canola oils; and beef, pork, and lamb. Meanwhile, increase your intake of fish (not fried, though). All fish contain omega-3 fatty acids, though mackerel and salmon are the richest sources (and wild being better than "farmed" salmon). In addition, use olive oil instead of other vegetable oils. Finally, take a variety of antioxidant supplements, including vitamins C and E, flavonoids, carotenoids, and alpha-lipoic acid. - Jack Challem The information provided by Jack Challem and The Nutrition Reporter™ newsletter is strictly educational and not intended as medical advice. For diagnosis and treatment, consult your physician. copyright © 2000 The Nutrition Reporter™ - updated 11/25/00for more information contact jack