Is Mediterranean diet associated with multiple sclerosis related symptoms and fatigue severity?

ABSTRACT

Objective

Nutrition modulation can reduce multiple sclerosis (MS) related symptoms and fatigue severity. Mediterranean diet may be beneficial regarding anti-inflammatory components. However, previous studies are limited. This study aims to investigate the relationship between Mediterranean diet adherence and MS-related symptoms and fatigue severity.

Methods

One hundred and two adult MS patients were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Dietary adherence was assessed using the Mediterranean diet assessment tool (MEDAS). MS-related symptoms were determined using the MS-related symptom checklist (MS-RS), and the fatigue severity scale (FSS) was applied. Linear regression models were established to assess predicted factors of MS-RS and FSS.

Results

The mean age of the participants was 33.1  ±  9.81 years. Being female and having higher education degree was 71.6% and 60.8%, respectively. In the linear regression model, MEDAS were not associated with MS-RS but negatively associated with FSS scores. MS-RS scores were significantly higher among participants who consumed more than one serving of red meat or products per day. Those who consumed less than one serving of butter, margarine, or cream per day reported lower FSS scores. Some trend significances were shown to consume limited sweet and lower FSS scores. Likewise, MS-RS scores were lower in those ≥three serving/week intake of fish.

Conclusion

Following a Mediterranean-style diet should be encouraged to improve fatigue severity. Components, such as reduced consumption of red meat, saturated fatty acids, sweets and increased fish consumption, could be promising to reduce MS symptoms or fatigue severity. These findings should be proven with further intervention studies.

KEYWORDS:

• Multiple sclerosis
• Mediterranean diet
• symptom
• fatigue
• omega-3
• nutrition
• red meat
• fish

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

CRediT roles

Yasemin ERTAŞ ÖZTÜRK: Conceptualization, Methodology, Formal analysis, Writing - original draft. Elif Merve HELVACI: Investigation, Writing – original draft. Pınar SÖKÜLMEZ KAYA: Conceptualization, Writing – review & editing. Murat TERZİ: Project administration, Resources, Supervision

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.

Notes on contributors

Yasemin Ertaş Öztürk

Yasemin Ertaş Öztürk has doctorate degree in Nutrition Science and is an assistant professor in Department of Nutrition and Dietetics at Ondokuz Mayıs University, Samsun, Turkey.

Elif Merve Helvaci

Elif Merve Helvacı is a dietician, research assistant and master student in neuroscience at Ondokuz Mayıs University.

Pınar Sökülmez Kaya

Pınar Sökülmez Kaya is an associate professor in Department of Nutrition and Dietetics at Ondokuz Mayıs University.

Murat Terzi

Murat Terzi is a norologist and professor in Department of Neurology at Ondokuz Mayıs University.