Multiple Sclerosis natural treatment with herbs, vitamins …

Multiple Sclerosis natural treatment, vitamins, herbs, supplements, alternative therapy and remedy by Ray Sahelian, M.D. Nerve fibers inside and outside the brain are wrapped with many layers of insulation called the myelin sheath. Much like the insulation around an electrical wire, the myelin sheath permits electrical impulses to be conducted along the nerve fiber with speed and accuracy. When myelin is damaged, nerves don't conduct impulses properly. Multiple sclerosis is a disorder in which the nerves of the eye, brain, and spinal cord lose patches of myelin. IgG antibodies to the myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein appear to participate in the more severe type of multiple sclerosis. Children who spend more time in the sun have a lower risk for developing multiple sclerosis as adults. Something in relation to sunlight and/or vitamin D exposure during childhood may play a protective role. High-salt diets could speed the onset and progression of autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis in individuals already genetically predisposed to develop such conditions.

Natural treatment for multiple sclerosis MS At this point it is very difficult to know with any certainty which supplements, in what dosages, and in what combination (s) would be helpful for multiple sclerosis, if at all. We also have little idea how these supplements interact with medicines currently used for multiple sclerosis. My aim is to just mention the research regarding the role some nutrients may play in this condition. If you have MS, make your doctor aware of some of these preliminary studies, and perhaps he or she would want to monitor you while you give them a try. There is no definite proof yet that these supplements will help. Much more research is needed before natural options are considered. It is possible that someone's condition may get worse by stopping their existing medicines and using natural supplements exclusively. It is also possible that certain natural supplements may lead to a slight reduction of the necessary pharmaceutical medication dosage. If you do plan to use these supplements, keep the dosages low at first until you have a grasp on how they are influencing your condition or whether they are interfering or improving the actions of the pharmaceutical medicines.

Vitamin D supplementation may be of benefit. There appears to be an association between vitamin D levels and MS relapse rate. It may be possible that supplementation could have an impact on the course of this disease. Perhaps increased sun exposure may help to protect against the risk of developing this condition. Pregnant women with higher levels are less likely to develop MS in the years after giving birth. Nov. 20, 2012, Neurology online. Alpha lipoic acid has been helpful in a mouse study and recently showed biochemical marker improvement in a human trial. A dose of 10 to 25 mg of R lipoic acid may be appropriate. Most R lipoic capsules come in 50 mg, so, opening a capsule and taking a portion is one option. Carnitine has been found helpful in reducing fatigue. Curcumin blocks the progression of multiple sclerosis in a laboratory study. Fish oil capsules have been thought to be helpful along with consuming more cold water fish with omega 3 fatty acids but studies have shown mixed results. Arch Neurol. 2012. -3 fatty acid treatment in multiple sclerosis (OFAMS Study): a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Patients were administered 1350 mg of eicosapentaenoic acid and 850 mg of docosahexaenoic acid daily or placebo. After 6 months, all patients in addition received subcutaneously 44 g of interferon beta-1a 3 times per week for another 18 months. No beneficial effects on disease activity were detected from -3 fatty acids when compared with placebo as monotherapy or in combination with interferon beta-1a. Magnetic resonance imaging disease activity was reduced as expected by interferon beta-1a. Int J Neurosci. 2013. Association of fish consumption and omega 3 supplementation with quality of life, disability and disease activity in an international cohort of people with multiple sclerosis. Emergency Practice Innovation Centre, St Vincents Hospital , Fitzroy , Australia We surveyed a large cohort of people with MS recruited via Web 2.0 platforms, requesting information on type of MS, relapse rates, disability, health-related quality of life, frequency of fish consumption and omega 3 supplementation, including type and dose, using validated tools where possible. We aimed to determine whether there was an association between fish consumption and omega 3 supplementation and quality of life, disability and disease activity for people with MS. Of 2469 respondents, 1493 (60%) had relapsing-remitting MS. Those consuming fish more frequently and those taking omega 3 supplements had significantly better quality of life, in all domains, and less disability. For fish consumption, there was a clear dose-response relationship for these associations. There were also trends towards lower relapse rates and reduced disease activity; flaxseed oil supplementation was associated with over 66% lower relapse rate over the previous 12 months. Flavonoids may be helpful.Ginkgo biloba has shown intriguing preliminary evidence of efficacy. Nicotinamide has been studied in rodents. Yoga is helpful in improving muscle and neural function. Warmer temperatures might reduce the ability of people with MS to complete mental tasks and process information, National Multiple Sclerosis Society; Oct. 23, 2013, Brain Imaging and Behavior, online.

Alpha lipoic acid and multiple sclerosis Lipoic acid in multiple sclerosis: a pilot study.Multiple Sclerosis. 2005 The purpose of this study was to determine the pharmacokinetics, tolerability and effects on matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAMP-1) of oral Alpha Lipoic acid in patients with multiple sclerosis. Thirty-seven multiple sclerosis subjects were randomly assigned to one of four groups: placebo, Alpha Lipoic acid 600 mg twice a day, Alpha Lipoic acid 1200 mg once a day and Alpha Lipoic acid 1200 mg twice a day. Subjects took study capsules for 14 days. We found that subjects taking 1200 mg had substantially higher peak serum ALA levels than those taking 600 mg and that peak levels varied considerably among subjects. We also found a significant negative correlation between peak serum Alpha Lipoic acid levels and mean changes in serum MMP-9 levels. There was a significant dose response relationship between Alpha Lipoic acid and mean change in serum sICAM-1 levels. We conclude that oral Alpha Lipoic acid is generally well tolerated and appears capable of reducing serum MMP-9 and sICAM-1 levels. Caution: High dosages of may cause heart rhythm problems. Use less than 50 mg of R alpha lipoic acid.I'm fascinated by the possibilities of nutritional substances in altering the course of chronic medical conditions for which modern medicine does not have good options. Although this study in no way says ALA will be a cure or long term benefit for those with multiple sclerosis, it does open the door for further exploration. I think the dose of 1200 mg is extremely high, and I would not recommend more than 50 mg a day of R-Alpha Lipoic Acid for long term use.

Alpha lipoic acid inhibits human T-cell migration: implications for multiple sclerosis. J Neurosci Res. 2004 We have demonstrated previously the ability of the antioxidant alpha lipoic acid to suppress and treat a model of multiple sclerosis, relapsing experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). We describe the effects of ALA and its reduced form, dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA), on the transmigration of human Jurkat T cells across a fibronectin barrier in a transwell system. ALA and DHLA inhibited migration of Jurkat cells in a dose-dependent fashion by 16-75%. ALA and DHLA reduced matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) activity by 18-90% in Jurkat cell supernatants. These data, coupled with its ability to treat relapsing EAE, suggest that ALA warrants investigation as a therapy for multiple sclerosis.

Nicotinamide Boosting concentrations in the nervous system of a vital compound called NAD, by giving its chemical precursor, nicotinamide has shown considerable therapeutic potential in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis. In mice with the MS-like disease EAE, nicotinamide treatment profoundly prevents the degeneration of axons already showing signs of degeneration. Daily under-the-skin injections of nicotinamide in the EAE mouse also prevents inflammation of the axons and loss of myelin -- the underlying problem in MS -- and delays the onset and severity of disability. Nicotinamide had beneficial effects even when treatment was delayed until 10 days after the induction multiple sclerosis -like disease, when most of the animals had clear signs of neurologic disability, hinting that it may have an impact at later stages of multiple sclerosis. The Journal of Neuroscience, September 20, 2006.

Carnitine and multiple sclerosis Levocarnitine administration in multiple sclerosis patients with immunosuppressive therapy-induced fatigue. Mult Scler. 2006. The aim of this prospective open-labelled study was to collect and study serum carnitine levels in MS patients with and without disease-modifying treatment-induced fatigue syndrome. Treatment consisted of oral carnitine, 3-6 g daily. For 63% of patients treated with immunosuppressive or immunomodulatory therapies, oral l-carnitine adjunction decreased fatigue intensity, especially in patients treated with cyclophosphamide and interferon beta. Comments: In the real world, 500 mg or maximum 1000 mg of l-carnitine should be sufficient.

Fish oils, DHA Omega-3 fatty acids in inflammation and autoimmune diseases. J Am Coll Nutr. 2002. Among the fatty acids, it is the omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) which possess the most potent immunomodulatory activities, and among the omega-3 PUFA, those from fish oil-eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)--are more biologically potent than alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Animal experiments and clinical intervention studies indicate that omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory properties and, therefore, might be useful in the management of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Coronary heart disease, major depression, aging and cancer are characterized by an increased level of interleukin 1 (IL-1), a proinflammatory cytokine. Similarly, arthritis, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis and lupus erythematosis are autoimmune diseases characterized by a high level of IL-1 and the proinflammatory leukotriene LTB(4) produced by omega-6 fatty acids. There have been a number of clinical trials assessing the benefits of dietary supplementation with fish oils in several inflammatory and autoimmune diseases in humans, including rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, psoriasis, lupus erythematosus, multiple sclerosis and migraine headaches. Many of the placebo-controlled trials of fish oil in chronic inflammatory diseases reveal significant benefit, including decreased disease activity and a lowered use of anti-inflammatory drugs.

Docosahexaenoic acid-enriched fish oil attenuates kidney disease and prolongs median and maximal life span of autoimmune lupus-prone mice. J Immunol. 2010. The therapeutic efficacy of individual components of fish oils in various human inflammatory diseases still remains unresolved, possibly due to low levels of n-3 fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid or lower ratio of DHA to EPA. Our data indicate that DHA, but not EPA, is the most potent n-3 fatty acid that suppresses glomerulonephritis and extends life span of systemic lupus erythematosus-prone short-lived B x W mice, possibly via inhibition of IL-18 induction and IL-18-dependent signaling.

Vitamin D as prevention or treatment Vitamin D3 appears to be helpful in several diseases, including multiple sclerosis. High doses of vitamin D may be required for therapeutic efficacy. Patients with mulptle sclerosis can take enough vitamin D to double their blood levels of vitamin D without the concern of causing hypercalcemia or hypercalciuria.

Read the original post:
Multiple Sclerosis natural treatment with herbs, vitamins ...