Anna Karin Hedström and colleagues from the Karolinska Institutet analyzed the dietary habits of 2,719 patients with multiple sclerosis. It turned out that eating a lot of fish was associated with a lower risk of worsening disability (HR 0.66), as well as a lower risk of the disease progressing to stages 3 and 4 on the EDSS scale (HR 0.55 and HR 0.57). The study was published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.
The researchers believe that the results are due to the anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties of nutrients found in fish, particularly omega-3 fatty acids and taurine. Interestingly, patients who ate more fish after diagnosis also had a lower risk of worsening disability, suggesting that diet may be one factor in slowing the progression of the disease.