Dairy, Gluten Show No Major Effect on MS Activity and Quality of Life

Dairy and gluten intake had no substantial effects on disease activity and quality of life in a retrospective study of 186 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Researchers published their findings online in Multiple Sclerosis Journal – Experimental, Translational and Clinical.

“Detection of more modest effects will require larger sample sizes, however, it remains to be determined whether such effects will translate to clinically important differences in disease activity,” wrote corresponding author Vicki E. Maltby, PhD, of the University of Newcastle in Australia. “Therefore, recommending a healthy, balanced diet for people with MS may be the best approach.”

The study had patients with MS estimate their dairy and gluten intake over the previous 2 years on a dietary screening questionnaire. Researchers used no-evidence-of-disease-activity (NEDA-3) status to gauge participants’ disease activity over the same 2-year period and the Multiple Sclerosis International Quality of Life (MusiQoL) questionnaire to assess quality of life at the time of dairy and gluten dietary screening completion.

Results revealed no significant link between patients’ mean estimated dairy or gluten intake and either NEDA-3 status attainment or MusiQoL scores, according to the study.

Consequently, researchers wrote, dairy- and gluten-free diets may provide no major benefit in disease activity or quality of life in people with MS. Moreover, several studies have associated gluten-free diets with inadequate micronutrient intake, weight gain, and increased cardiovascular risk, they pointed out.

“Whilst our findings contribute to the existing research in this field, the overall evidence remains contradictory,” the authors concluded, “highlighting the need for further, large, prospective, interventional studies on the role of dietary interventions in MS.”

Reference

Temperley IA, Seldon AN, Reckord MA, et al. Dairy and gluten in disease activity in multiple sclerosis. Mult Scler J Exp Transl Clin. 2023;9(4):20552173231218107. doi:10.1177/20552173231218107