- Recent studies have shown a link between the gut microbiota and multiple sclerosis (MS) symptoms.
- The findings support previous studies suggesting that MS is an autoimmune disease that may be linked to gut health.
- Taking steps to improve gut health may help MS patients manage symptoms associated with the condition.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a condition that affects the central nervous system (primarily the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves) and can cause symptoms throughout the body.
According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Association, there are nearly 1 million people with MS in the United States alone.
In a new study, researchers in the Department of Neurology at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School confirmed a previously observed link between the microbes in the digestive tract, known as the gut flora, and MS.
The survey results recently Immu Frontierstudy.
Autoimmune diseases are caused by the immune system attacking healthy tissue.
In multiple sclerosis, the immune system targets the myelin sheath that surrounds and protects nerve fibers, causing inflammation. Myelin protects nerves and is important for ensuring that electrical signals are transmitted quickly and efficiently.
Multiple sclerosis means “scar tissue in multiple areas.” Common MS symptoms include:
- muscle weakness
- spasticity and muscle spasms
- Numbness and tingling
- bowel and bladder problems
- sexual dysfunction
- vision problems
In the current study, researchers used a mouse model to observe the relationship between gut health and multiple sclerosis symptoms.
Mice have been genetically engineered to carry genes associated with multiple sclerosis, allowing researchers to detect changes in gut bacteria and
Dr. Achillefs Ntranos, a neurologist and multiple sclerosis specialist in Santa Monica, California, who was not involved in the study, explains: medical news today This paper discusses a possible relationship between MS and the gut microbiota, pointing to an imbalance in the microbial composition of the gut.
“The authors investigated the relationship between intestinal inflammation and the development of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) using humanized transgenic mice genetically engineered to express specific human genes. They found that mice developed both EAE and colitis, a type of inflammatory bowel disease, at the same time, and that the central nervous system suggests a link between autoimmune diseases and intestinal inflammation.”
– Dr. Achillefs Ntranos, Neurologist
Next, researchers wanted to see if the same process occurred in people with multiple sclerosis.
They found elevated levels of Lcn-2 in the stool of the subjects. It is a marker associated with intestinal inflammation. According to the researchers, this marker was associated with fewer types of bacteria in the gut.
Furthermore, bacterial types that tended to reduce intestinal inflammation were not common in MS patients with high levels of Lcn-2 in their feces.
According to the researchers, the amount of Lcn-2 in feces may be a good way to know how healthy a person’s gut microbiome is. Eating a healthy high-fiber diet may help manage multiple sclerosis.
Dr Sara Mesilhy, a gastroenterologist at the Royal College of Internal Medicine, who was not involved in the study, emphasized the importance of fecal Lcn-2 as a biomarker.
“Faecal Lcn-2 is a sensitive biological marker of gut microbiota in MS,” she explained. “In this study, levels of antimicrobial protein (Lcn-2) were higher in stool from multiple sclerosis patients, which correlates with reduced gut microbial diversity.”
“Other intestinal inflammatory mediators were associated with decreased gut microbiota diversity in MS patients.[including] Fecal Lcn-2, neutrophil elastase, and calprotectin.Of these three mediators, his Lcn-2 levels in feces were [the] The most sensitive marker. In this study, we traced the association between gut microbiota alterations and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in mice to more precisely identify the MS-associated gut microbiota. ”
– Dr. Sara Mesilhy, Gastroenterologist
Dr. Mesilhy added that MS is depleted of certain types of beneficial bacteria. These include SCFA-producing gut bacteria such as:
- Clostridium cluster
- butirisimona
- Prevotella
- Aristipes Finegordi
- Aristipes tea
- bifidobacteria
Nancy Mitchell, RDN, registered nurse and contributing writer for the Assisted Living Center, was not involved in this study. MNT “Inflammation is one of the main tactics the immune system uses to ward off foreign substances and control bacterial overgrowth in the gut.”
“It is not surprising that a reduction in the gut microbiota induces an inflammatory response. indicates that there is much less [in] People without autoimmune diseases. These bacteria keep the gut in balance and, if not adequately populated, leave the digestive tract vulnerable to infection, unwanted bacterial overgrowth, and ultimately inflammation.”
– Nancy Mitchell, Registered Nurse
Dr. Ntranos suggested a possible link between gut microbiota and the development of multiple sclerosis, noting that intestinal inflammation may play a role in disease progression. did.
“This is important. [developing] A novel treatment strategy for MS that focuses on improving the microbial balance in the gut and reducing intestinal inflammation.
“This includes the use of probiotics or prebiotics, substances that promote the growth of beneficial microorganisms in the gut, or the use of certain antibiotics or other drugs that target certain types of harmful bacteria. May include use.
Dr. Mesilhy explained that mouse studies “enhance the possibility of reproducibility and validation, allow sampling of large tissues, test different parts of the GIT system, and sample brain tissue.”
Conducting similar studies in humans is an important next step, she added, because humans respond differently to DNA damage, vasostatic responses, and immune responses.
“Includes environmental and dietary factors [and] Long-term effects will be measured,” Dr. Mesilhy said.
“Multiple sclerosis and the gut connection lead us to profit. [of] Diet and probiotics in improving and preventing MS.However, further research [are] Necessary to evaluate the benefits and side effects associated with this
approach. “
Dr. Mesilhy added that it would be important to “explore the association between fecal Lcn-2 levels and clinical parameters such as multiple sclerosis relapse rate and disease progression.”
She concluded that gathering more evidence that a high-fiber diet and probiotics can help fight multiple sclerosis is an important area for future research.
Unhealthy eating habits, such as low fiber intake and high fat intake, may contribute to the massive increase in multiple sclerosis in the United States, researchers say.
The researchers also noted that countries with higher fiber intake tended to have lower rates of multiple sclerosis.
More than 90% of women and 97% of men do not meet the recommended dietary fiber intake.
Dietary guidelines state that men should consume 28 to 34 grams of fiber per day, and women should consume 22 to 28 grams, depending on their age. (Most older people have low fiber requirements).
Experts recommend increasing fiber intake to meet daily recommended intake. To increase daily dietary fiber, people may consider:
- Eat More Whole Food Carb Sources
- Include more vegetables in your diet
- Choose whole grains over refined grains
- Include a lot of legumes in your diet
- Snack on nuts and seeds or add them to recipes
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