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A study has shown a significant correlation between the intake of saturated fatty acids and disability and fatigue in MS patients...Read more - http://www.ms-uk.org/fats-and-oils-impa ... ts-ectrims

Fats and Multiple Sclerosis; Association between fats/oils intake and disability in patients with MS
http://bit.ly/2lx4PEU

"Introduction: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic demyelinating disease of the nervous system which is the most common cause of neurological irreversible disability in young adults who are professionally and socially active persons. Due to the variable clinical course of MS, it is classified into relapsing and progressive phases and three phenotypes of relapsing remitting MS (RRMS), primary progressive MS (PPMS), and secondary progressive MS (SPMS ). Assessment of dietary intakes of fats is an approach that has been used to evaluate diet-disease and diet-disability association.
Method: 126 patients with diagnosed MS (84 RRMS, 21 PPMS and 21 SPMS) with MRI assessment of brain and spinal cord were recruited from multiple sclerosis clinic in Kashani Hospital of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran include from present cross-sectional study. A 168-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire was used for assessment of dietary intakes of fatty acids. Medical history questionnaire, Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) and Fatigue questionnaire record from all participants.
Results: Mean ± SD of EDSS and fatigue scale in SPMS and PPMS groups was significant higher than RRMS group. There was a negative significant correlation between intakes of Polly Unsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFAs) including Linolenic Acid(r=-0.418, p=0.018), Linoleic Acid(r=-0.312, p=0.031) with EDSS in all participants. In addition, There was a negative significant correlation between intakes of Mono Unsaturated Fatty Acids (MUFAs) (r=-0.348, p=0.028) with EDSS in all participants. Correlation between Saturated Fatty Acids(SFAs) with EDSS (r=0.465, p=0.009) and fatigue scale (r=0.298, p=0.043) was significantly positive in all participants. Although correlation between total dietary fats with EDSS and fatigue scale in all participants and subgroups were positive, but was not significant. Age, gender and blood pressure were not confounder variables. In addition, we adjusted energy intakes in subgroups.
Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that there is a positive significant correlation between intakes of SFAs with EDSS and fatigue scale in all participants. In addition dietary intakes PUFAs and MUFAs can decrease EDSS in all patients with MS. Further studies with larger sample sizes and other population needed to prove this correlation."

A Gentle Reminder that a Hypothesis is Never Proven Correct, nor is a Theory Ever Proven to Be True
http://www.nsta.org/publications/news/s ... x?id=52402

very nice study. thanks for posting

I would really like to know if they looked at the differences between short, medium, long and very long chain saturated fatty acids. My general reading tends to lead me to the idea that short and medium medium chain fatty acids, like those found in coconut oil, are rapidly metabolized for energy and are good for the brain. I'm also stunned that they had nothing to say about EPA and DHA from fish oil.

Agree NHE we've had this high level info for ages now...more in depth analysis would be nice... I also get annoyed when coconut oil gets 'lumped' with all other saturated fats without taking into consideration the type of sf.

Hi,

Coincidently I read this today http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/dr-jo ... zgbxr.html

Of course, it proves nothing. However too many studies just seem to be done by epidemiologists. Clustering data doesn't doesn't mean much if all the other variables are ignored rather than held constant.

Personally I eat animal fat and presumably the wrong ones as well. So many of the people I see who are anything from overweight to morbidly obese are fussing about fat but stuffing as much refined sugar and gluten into themselves as they can. They prefer processed to fresh. I shop daily.

I'm the same weight as I was 30 years ago (73kgs). I was bigger when I ate like they do but I'm much better eating unprocessed and fresh food that's full of colour and taste. I can see and feel the difference.

Regards,

jimmylegs wrote:Fats and Multiple Sclerosis; Association between fats/oils intake and disability in patients with MS
http://bit.ly/2lx4PEU

"Introduction: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic demyelinating disease of the nervous system which is the most common cause of neurological irreversible disability in young adults who are professionally and socially active persons. Due to the variable clinical course of MS, it is classified into relapsing and progressive phases and three phenotypes of relapsing remitting MS (RRMS), primary progressive MS (PPMS), and secondary progressive MS (SPMS ). Assessment of dietary intakes of fats is an approach that has been used to evaluate diet-disease and diet-disability association.
Method: 126 patients with diagnosed MS (84 RRMS, 21 PPMS and 21 SPMS) with MRI assessment of brain and spinal cord were recruited from multiple sclerosis clinic in Kashani Hospital of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran include from present cross-sectional study. A 168-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire was used for assessment of dietary intakes of fatty acids. Medical history questionnaire, Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) and Fatigue questionnaire record from all participants.
Results: Mean ± SD of EDSS and fatigue scale in SPMS and PPMS groups was significant higher than RRMS group. There was a negative significant correlation between intakes of Polly Unsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFAs) including Linolenic Acid(r=-0.418, p=0.018), Linoleic Acid(r=-0.312, p=0.031) with EDSS in all participants. In addition, There was a negative significant correlation between intakes of Mono Unsaturated Fatty Acids (MUFAs) (r=-0.348, p=0.028) with EDSS in all participants. Correlation between Saturated Fatty Acids(SFAs) with EDSS (r=0.465, p=0.009) and fatigue scale (r=0.298, p=0.043) was significantly positive in all participants. Although correlation between total dietary fats with EDSS and fatigue scale in all participants and subgroups were positive, but was not significant. Age, gender and blood pressure were not confounder variables. In addition, we adjusted energy intakes in subgroups.
Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that there is a positive significant correlation between intakes of SFAs with EDSS and fatigue scale in all participants. In addition dietary intakes PUFAs and MUFAs can decrease EDSS in all patients with MS. Further studies with larger sample sizes and other population needed to prove this correlation."

A Gentle Reminder that a Hypothesis is Never Proven Correct, nor is a Theory Ever Proven to Be True
http://www.nsta.org/publications/news/s ... x?id=52402

And as my professor repeatedly emphasized: "Correlation does not equal Causation"

Words such as correlation, correlated, associated, or linked do not mean that one thing causes another, but instead that two things have often been seen together. The article below talks about how (human) birth rates rise when the stork population increases.
Storks are linked to newborn babies.
Or...
Storks are correlated with newborn babies.
Storks are associated with newborn babies.
Not Storks cause newborn babies... Or do they

New evidence for the Theory of the Stork

Summary
Data from Berlin (Germany) show a significant correlation between the increase in the
stork population around the city and the increase in deliveries outside city hospitals
(out-of-hospital deliveries). However, there is no correlation between deliveries in
hospital buildings (clinical deliveries) and the stork population. The decline in the
number of pairs of storks in the German state of Lower Saxony between 1970 and
1985 correlated with the decrease of deliveries in that area. The nearly constant number
of deliveries from 1985 to 1995 was associated with an unchanged stork population
(no statistical significance). However, the relevance of the stork for the birth rate
in that part of Germany remains unclear, because the number of out-of-hospital deliveries
in this area is not well documented. A lack of statistical information on out-ofhospital
deliveries in general is a severe handicap for further proof for the Theory of
the Stork.

https://web.stanford.edu/class/hrp259/2 ... storke.pdf

How could anyone with MS be persuaded or be willing to continue with the consumption of foods containing high levels of saturated fatty acids after diagnosis?

Dr. Roy Swank has shown that an extended low saturated fat diet dampens inflammation and slows progression.
In a cohort of more than 300 patients and a time period extending over 34 years!

Recently there have also been published studies that suggest a relationship between T cells and long chain fatty acids where T cells no longer clean up B cells.
The studies of Swank and the prevention of a transition to a secondary progressive (SP) form by an extended low saturated fat diet would seem to confirm such relationship.
https://multiplesclerosisnewstoday.com/ ... ne-system/

A low saturated fat diet may be good for MS patients, for the general population it is probably not so.
The general population, in particular young kids and pregnant mothers need cholesterol (and sunlight) to produce Vitamine D, critical for the build of our cells.
t
The current scourge of autoimmune diseases could well find an explanation, among others, in the low cholesterol due to low fat consumption in our diet.
Low cholesterol may be good for the elderly, but not so for the youngsters and new mothers!
If this is true, our dietary advice would need to be revisited urgently !!!

not to say *high* sat fat is good for the general pop of course. all about balance. moderation is the key (may be biased ;) )

I went on the Swank diet shortly after I was Dxed 21 years ago. I went off it for two reasons:
1) I understood that it didn't work for PPMS
2) I love bacon and eggs, steaks, hamburgers etc.

But this article says it works for PPMS too.
Maybe I'll have to go back on it.

"I love bacon and eggs, steaks, hamburgers "


Me too!


Ultimately, bacon, steaks, hamburgers and other meats that come from grass fed animals are very, very, healthy, which, like wild caught fish, have a 1:1 Omega 3 to Omega 6 ratio as necessary and ideal for good nutrition and good health. And of course have EFAs (Essential Fatty Acids which are essential for good health). Also ultra high Omega 3 eggs (not found in regular supermarkets and can be a bit pricey) are available and are also healthy/good to eat.

just enjoyed a nice plate of bacon & eggs meself