As you may recall from the 'What is a healthy diet?' page in this section our bodies need two types of Essential Fatty Acids (EFA): Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids; these are both polyunsaturated fats and are needed for the body to work effectively and make up a large part of the CNS including both brain and spinal cord.
As briefly discussed there is an 'inflammation hypothesis' suggesting that an imbalance between these two fatty acids can provoke an inflammatory response (as seen in MS). These fatty acids produce two hormone-like secretions Prostaglandin E2 and Prostaglandin E3 which work together to play a complicated role in how the body responds to inflammation using the immune system. EFAs are the substances which make and repair myelin.
As much as it would make sense if we could manipulate this research to affect the course of the disease, NICE guidelines for MS released in 2014 indicate that there is no evidence that EFA supplements influence relapses or progression of MS.
Where can I find EFA is the diet?
As briefly discussed there is an 'inflammation hypothesis' suggesting that an imbalance between these two fatty acids can provoke an inflammatory response (as seen in MS). These fatty acids produce two hormone-like secretions Prostaglandin E2 and Prostaglandin E3 which work together to play a complicated role in how the body responds to inflammation using the immune system. EFAs are the substances which make and repair myelin.
As much as it would make sense if we could manipulate this research to affect the course of the disease, NICE guidelines for MS released in 2014 indicate that there is no evidence that EFA supplements influence relapses or progression of MS.
Where can I find EFA is the diet?
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Sources of Omega 3 EFA
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Sources of Omega 6 EFA
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There are no guidelines for how much of each EFA you should include in your diet but it makes sense to balance the general amounts of each that you consume. Remember that these are still fats and whilst important it is wise not to overconsume any type of fat.
This is a growing area of research with MS so we can expect to hear more over the coming years.
Sources:
Active IQ (2016) Personal Training manual
MS Society (2014) Food and Nutrition booklet
Active IQ (2016) Personal Training manual
MS Society (2014) Food and Nutrition booklet
