Can Mediterranean diet help people with MS preserve thinking skills? (Yes, 20% better)

Medical Xpress / American Academy of Neurology's 75th Annual Meeting ^ | March 1, 2023 | Ilana Katz Sand, MD

[ConservativeMind]

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) who follow a Mediterranean diet may have a lower risk for problems with memory and thinking skills than those who do not follow the diet, according to a preliminary study.

The Mediterranean diet includes a high intake of vegetables, legumes, fruits, fish and healthy fats such as olive oil, and a low intake of dairy products, meats and saturated fatty acids.

The study involved 563 people with MS. They were assigned a score of zero to 14 based on their responses with higher scores given to those who more closely followed the diet.

Participants took three tests assessing their thinking and memory skills. Cognitive impairment was defined as scoring less than the fifth percentile on two or three of the tests.

A total of 108 people, or 19%, had cognitive impairment.

The researchers found that people who more closely followed the Mediterranean diet had a 20% lower risk for cognitive impairment than people who did not follow the diet.

Among those in the lowest diet score group, 43 of 133 people, or 34%, had cognitive impairment compared to 13 of 103 people, or 13%, of people in the highest diet score group.

The relationship was stronger among people with progressive MS, where the disease steadily worsens, than among those with relapsing-remitting MS, where the disease flares up and then goes into periods of remission.

Importantly, Katz Sand noted, the results were the same when researchers rigorously adjusted for other factors that could affect the risk of cognitive impairment, such as socioeconomic status, smoking, body mass index, high blood pressure and exercise.

"Among health-related factors, the level of dietary alignment with the Mediterranean pattern was by far the strongest predictor of people's cognitive scores and whether they met study criteria for cognitive impairment," Katz Sand said.

[ConservativeMind]

Going toward a Mediterranean diet helped prevent cognitive issues by 20%.

[ConservativeMind]

The “Take Charge Of Your Health” Ping List
This high volume ping list is for health articles and studies which describe something you or your doctor, when informed, may be able to immediately implement for your benefit.

Email me to get on either the “Common/Top Issues” (20 - 25% fewer pings) or “Everything” list.

[BitWielder1]

Milk is not for everyone but what's wrong with good quality meat?