A novel study has collected important data on the association between a high-fibre Mediterranean diet, the microbiome and MS in pediatric patients.
A first-of-its-kind study led by Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute researcher Dr. Helen Tremlett and Dr. Ali Mirza, along with an international team of researchers, has identified statistically significant links between diet, gut microbiota and multiple sclerosis (MS). Published in Nature, Communications Medicine, researchers found that the consumption of a Mediterranean diet was associated with lower odds of pediatric-onset MS.
There is presently no cure for MS, a neurological disease that attacks the myelin sheath covering nerves in the central nervous system, including the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. The condition causes episodic and sometimes progressive symptoms, such as cognitive impairment, extreme fatigue, weakness, lack of coordination, impaired sensation, vision problems, mood changes and bladder problems.
Around 90,000 Canadians are living with MS, with approximately 12 Canadians diagnosed each day, most between the ages of 20 and 49. Globally, Canada has one of the highest prevalences of MS, with over 200 cases per 100,000 individuals.
The role of fibre in immune function, brain health and inflammation
“The link between diet and gut microbiota in individuals with MS is largely unexplored and not well understood,” says Mirza. “We were interested in uncovering how diet and gut bacteria are linked to MS in young people, examining the diet and types of bacteria in stool samples from those with and without MS.”
“A main advantage of this study is that we looked at pediatric patients who had fewer confounders, such as other health conditions, that could have impacted our results.”
Tremlett and Mirza’s study included 95 individuals aged 21 years or younger. Of these, 44 were diagnosed with MS when they were under 18 years of age and 51 were healthy controls. Data was sourced from the Canadian Pediatric Demyelinating Disease Network study, which included individuals from six Canadian sites and one site in the United States. All individuals had completed a food frequency questionnaire that tracked their food intake when they were 21 years of age or younger, and researchers also had access to stool samples provided by 59 individuals.
“We found that a diet rich in fibre and Mediterranean foods was less common in those with MS,” says Mirza. “This dietary pattern was linked to certain differences in gut bacteria, raising the possibility that the consumption of high-fibre foods and a Mediterranean diet could have a protective effect against MS by impacting individuals’ gut bacteria.”
Individuals who more strictly followed the Mediterranean diet were associated with lower odds of MS-onset by 37 per cent or more, Mirza asserts.
“This research opens the door to further studies on how diet might influence MS through the gut microbiome and, vice versa, how having MS might influence the diet and the gut microbiome.”
Fibre was associated with a healthier gut microbiome among individuals in Tremlett and Mirza’s study. High fibre intake supported beneficial bacteria in the gut, such as the Ruminococcaceae species. However, lower fibre intake was linked with an increased presence of certain bacteria, such as Methanobrevibacter, which has also been associated with MS.
“Healthy gut bacteria produce short-chain fatty acids in the body, which have anti-inflammatory effects that support healthy immune function and brain activity,” explains Mirza. “Unhealthy bacteria can have the reverse effect, increasing inflammation that can be harmful to tissues.”
Diets high in fibre have also been shown to alleviate constipation, which is a common concern among people with MS.
Future research is needed to further tease out these novel associations between diet, the gut microbiome and MS.
Learn more about the gut microbiome and MS on Tremlett’s MS Research Explained blog.
