I can't remember if I've posted this here or seen this here before, but new research shows a correlation between higher sodium levels and MS disease activity. At least this is something we can DO to help ourselves, and with sodium-free variations of "salt" available, we don't have to feel like we're being deprived if we limit it in our diets! I know I tend to have too much pre-made food which likely increases my sodium intake, so I'll have to start watching that and pay attention to the sodium levels in everything I eat, pre-packaged, take-out, AND home-made.
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J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2014 Aug 28.
Sodium intake is associated with increased disease activity in multiple sclerosis.
Farez MF1, Fiol MP1, Gaitán MI1, Quintana FJ2, Correale J1.
BACKGROUND:
Recently, salt has been shown to modulate the differentiation of human and mouse Th17 cells and mice that were fed a high-sodium diet were described to develop more aggressive courses of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. However, the role of sodium intake in multiple sclerosis (MS) has not been addressed. We aimed to investigate the relationship between salt consumption and clinical and radiological disease activity in MS.
METHODS:
We conducted an observational study in which sodium intake was estimated from sodium excretion in urine samples from a cohort of 70 relapsing-remitting patients with MS who were followed for 2 years. The effect of sodium intake in MS disease activity was estimated using regression analysis. We then replicated our findings in a separate group of 52 patients with MS.
RESULTS:
We found a positive correlation between exacerbation rates and sodium intake in a multivariate model adjusted for age, gender, disease duration, smoking status, vitamin D levels, body mass index and treatment. We found an exacerbation rate that was 2.75-fold (95% CI 1.3 to 5.8) or 3.95-fold (95% CI 1.4 to 11.2) higher in patients with medium or high sodium intakes compared with the low-intake group. Additionally, individuals with high-sodium intake had a 3.4-fold greater chance of developing a new lesion on the MRI and on average had eight more T2 lesions on MRI. A similar relationship was found in the independent replication group.
CONCLUSIONS:
Our results suggest that a higher sodium intake is associated with increased clinical and radiological disease activity in patients with MS.
Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...
J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2014 Aug 28.
Sodium intake is associated with increased disease activity in multiple sclerosis.
Farez MF1, Fiol MP1, Gaitán MI1, Quintana FJ2, Correale J1.
BACKGROUND:
Recently, salt has been shown to modulate the differentiation of human and mouse Th17 cells and mice that were fed a high-sodium diet were described to develop more aggressive courses of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. However, the role of sodium intake in multiple sclerosis (MS) has not been addressed. We aimed to investigate the relationship between salt consumption and clinical and radiological disease activity in MS.
METHODS:
We conducted an observational study in which sodium intake was estimated from sodium excretion in urine samples from a cohort of 70 relapsing-remitting patients with MS who were followed for 2 years. The effect of sodium intake in MS disease activity was estimated using regression analysis. We then replicated our findings in a separate group of 52 patients with MS.
RESULTS:
We found a positive correlation between exacerbation rates and sodium intake in a multivariate model adjusted for age, gender, disease duration, smoking status, vitamin D levels, body mass index and treatment. We found an exacerbation rate that was 2.75-fold (95% CI 1.3 to 5.8) or 3.95-fold (95% CI 1.4 to 11.2) higher in patients with medium or high sodium intakes compared with the low-intake group. Additionally, individuals with high-sodium intake had a 3.4-fold greater chance of developing a new lesion on the MRI and on average had eight more T2 lesions on MRI. A similar relationship was found in the independent replication group.
CONCLUSIONS:
Our results suggest that a higher sodium intake is associated with increased clinical and radiological disease activity in patients with MS.
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