Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive and deteriorating muscular disability in which there is a loss of the protective covering of nerves in the brain and spinal cord, causing fatigue, numbness, mobility problems, visual disturbances, and more. According to the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America, MS affects some 400, 000 people nationwide, twice as many women as men. Most people are diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 50. The most common types of MS are relapsing-remitting, secondary-progressive, primary-progressive, and progressing-relapsing.
Dr. Michael Wald, who holds degrees in nutrition and chiropractic, and has authored five books about health, explains, “Multiple sclerosis is a syndrome of progressive nerve disturbances. What we have is a gradual loss in myelin, which is part of the outer covering of the nervous system. The nervous system breaks down.”
MS is a condition that can present itself quite suddenly. A young woman could be quite healthy and then one day have problems moving the limbs. Muscle weakness, dizziness, and problems with perception and touch may appear. Vision may be blurred.
“Generally the person will go to a neurologist and the neurologist will take an MRI,” Dr. Wald continues. “Maybe he will take some of the patient’s cerebrospinal fluid and look for things. The doctor says, ‘You’ve got the disease.’ Then the person is put on one of several steroids and that is the end of that.
“That’s really not enough. There is enough nutritional and medical literature to support the use of a whole host of dietary and nutritional changes in the lives of these people. What we want to do in natural medicine is slow down and reverse the degeneration of myelin. When myelin breaks down, it’s called demyelinization. In about two-thirds of the cases of MS, the onset is between twenty and forty. We are talking about the most fit people in the prime of their lives being struck with this condition.”
The etiology of MS is still unknown. Among the studies attempting to pinpoint the cause are those involving the immune system, genetics, and environment. Most likely, there is a combination of factors.
Multiple sclerosis is classified as an autoimmune disease. An autoimmune disease is one in which the immune system fails to recognize a component of the body’s systems as “self” and mounts an attack on that component. For example, says Dr. Wald, “the body may be breaking down the myelin, causing symptoms of MS. So anything we do to slow that down or reverse it should theoretically help.”
“In autoimmunity, the problem with immune breakdown occurs eventually to everyone as aging happens, so we are really talking about a situation that will affect everyone.”
Some experts postulate that MS may be due to a virus. Often, a woman will have a viral problem and will get MS shortly thereafter. So that may be a cause or a trigger. The theory that MS is caused by a virus is based on animal studies. “Certain viruses can be given to certain animals, for example, which will cause every single symptom of MS,” Dr. Wald says. The common viruses that might be involved in causing MS are the Epstein-Barr virus, herpes simplex virus, and the parainfluenza virus.
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society reports that scientists in Australia are studying the relationship between vitamin D and the disease. Vitamin D, produced by the body when exposed to sunlight, helps improve immune function and may protect against MS. People who live closer to the equator, where there is more exposure to sunlight, have a lower risk of MS.
Nutritional factors also have been implicated. Excess consumption of fats and insufficient omega-3 fatty acids may play a role in increasing the risk of MS. Smoking also increases the risk of developing the disease.
Dr. Wald cautions, “Human beings are complicated, as we well know, so even if we knew the cause, we would still want to approach it from a natural medicine perspective by giving the body whatever it needs to help whatever it wants to correct. Whether it’s MS or a headache or some other problem, the natural healer strives to give the body what it needs.”
In terms of diet, the first thing is to identify and eliminate food allergies. Dr. Wald remarks that allergies also indicate problems with the immune system. “An allergy means that the immune system becomes hyperresponsive. We already have that going on in MS, so we don’t want to create any other hyperresponsiveness with foods.”
A number of foods are associated with a higher risk of allergies, including gluten-containing foods such as barley, rye, oats, and wheat. “These are common offenders,” Dr. Wald says. “Milk products also fit this category. In fact, the intake of milk in adolescents is correlated with a far higher MS incidence. That much has been proven.”
How would a person determine if she were allergic? Dr. Wald says, “You can do what is called an IgG4/IgG1 combination test for allergy, which is a blood test. Ninety foods can be checked, and you can determine quite quickly how your immune system hyperresponds to some of them. Then you eliminate the foods and use substitutes. Another way to approach this would be to look at your diet for the top ten or fifteen foods that you eat most often or that are your favorite and eliminate them, because those best-loved foods tend to be the allergy foods. Even allergists recognize this.”
Dr. Wald adds, “Most people find it strange that their favorite foods are what are getting them into trouble. A person will say, ‘But I eat the food all the time.’ Yes, but you are also causing some disruption of the immune function by doing that, particularly if you have a weak immune system to begin with.” By eliminating these foods, “you will reduce overall stress on the immune system. That means healing has a chance to take place.”
Aside from allergens, other foods to be avoided in relation to this disease are animal fats. “A high intake of saturated fats in the diet, animal fats, is definitely linked to MS.”
Dr. Wald notes that some studies have supported vegetarianism as a positive path for MS sufferers. “Dr. Roy Swank, professor of neurology at the University of Oregon Medical School, did one of the longest studies of MS ever done, which was about twenty-six years in duration. People who had MS symptoms were put on an essentially vegan diet, cod liver oil, and several other similar things. Over time he noticed that those on this diet who had initially had symptoms had fewer exacerbations and less worsening of their condition over the years or had no exacerbations, and did very well or better in comparison to those who had had an initial MS diagnosis and were given the standard drugs.”
Another important avenue to explore is supplementation. Dr. Wald told me about an unusual supplementation therapy developed at Harvard. “One practical suggestion is something called myelin basic protein. This is something that you or anyone can buy in the health food store. Harvard has investigated reactions with MS patients, using oral myelin from a cow, actually. Basically, if you eat myelin, the stuff in the nervous system will attack the myelin you are eating, leaving your nervous system alone and giving it a chance to repair. The technical term for that is molecular mimicry. You are mimicking your myelin, so it’s a distraction technique. That’s very important.”
Less experimentally, there are certain supplements of proven effectiveness, particularly the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Dr. Wald notes, “Most of the readers probably know something about these. Evening primrose oil is an example of an omega-6. We get that from grains and seeds. The omega-3s can be obtained from such things as flaxseed oil and fish oil. There are dozens of other types of fats that are important. I do recommend that those with MS have what is called an essential fatty acid blood test done, so that you can find out exactly what oils you need and then simply put them back.”
These oils control inflammation in the body and immune function. They are also needed for vascular function—in other words, all the things we need for healing MS. Dr. Wald says that even if you don’t have these special tests done, you certainly would want to at least purchase a supplement that contains a reasonable balance of omega-3 and omega-6 oils. Probably, you should look for one that is heavier on the omega-3 oils, the flax and fish oils.
“I myself find that MS patients have difficulty metabolically breaking flaxseed oil down into what they need. So, rather than flax, I tend to recommend what is called ephedra, a supplement. For dosage, you should follow the directions on the bottle unless you are seeing a health care practitioner who can individually tailor the dose.”
Another very important nutrient for MS is glutathione. This amino acid is the major immune booster in the body. If you are going to help your health, regardless of what the concern is, you have to somehow raise glutathione levels. Dr. Wald recommends anywhere from 250 to 500 milligrams orally.
Selenium helps the body utilize the glutathione. The recommended dose would be in the 200 to 400 micrograms range.
Vitamins D andB12 are extremely important. Dr. Wald says, “Alcoholics, for example, can have the shakes, which are caused by degeneration of their myelin, due to aB12 deficiency. This seems very similar to the problems of MS. So, though aB12 deficiency is probably not the cause of MS, many MS sufferers have aB12 imbalance, one that doesn’t necessarily show up on a blood test. So every MS patient we see gets aB12 shot. Oral supplements might do it, but it really depends on the level of disability.”
Enzymes also may be recommended. As Dr. Wald puts it, “Any conversation about autoimmune disease would not be complete without speaking about them. Bromelain and papain are plant-derived enzymes. They are pancreatic enzyme supports.”
Dr. Wald notes that these enzymes are key to defending the body against autoimmune chemicals in the blood, which irritate and break down tissues. Enzymes that you eat, such as bromelain, papain, and others found in fresh fruits or vegetables, as well as pancreatic enzymes, get into the blood and literally digest some of these irritating chemicals. It’s a must to include lots of those enzymes.
“Lastly,” Dr. Wald says, “some other supplements should be mentioned. One is N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC). Cysteine and methionine are sulfur-containing amino acids that help liver detoxification and overall body detoxification. So any anti-autoimmune approach should contain generous amounts of NAC, between 250 and 1, 000 milligrams orally. It works really well orally. The NAC increases glutathione levels. As we said earlier, glutathione is the single most important immune-boosting chemical in the body.”
Dr. Wald also uses extracts of herbs that are standardized, meaning they have been assayed for the active ingredient. “In other words,” he says, “what the bottle says is in there, is in there.” The herbs goldenseal, astragalus, and echinacea are the ones most often recommended for autoimmune disorders. Green tea may also be useful.
He mentions a common criticism of herb use. “I do want to recall a question I often field about herbs. A person will ask, ‘If MS is a case of the ultrasensitization of the immune system, would you want to take herbs that would bolster the immune system?’
“Well, the wonderful thing about how nature has worked this out is that these supplements will not enhance immunity. They are what are called biologic response modifiers. They work to balance what is wrong. If your immunity is too high, they will work to bring it low. If your immunity is low, they will bring it up. Of course, you can abuse these things to a certain point. But almost no one, if she follows the general directions on the bottles, will be caused any harm. The most the person will experience is a little gastrointestinal upset, and once she experiences that, she will naturally decrease the dose.” In taking herbs, no matter which ones, Dr. Wald recommends a four-day on, four-day off cycle so that the body doesn’t become insensitive to the herbs, which could result in the herbs losing some of their effectiveness.
Work has been done with oxygen in aiding sufferers from this illness. Dr. Wald says, “Something not commonly talked about in MS is hyperbaric oxygen. It is possible—and there are many studies on this with MS—for a person to get into a chamber and be exposed to clean, purified oxygen under pressure for health reasons. The purpose of the pressure is to increase oxygen levels in the blood so that healing can take place. As we age—and you can think of MS as accelerated aging of the immune and nervous system—we do not use oxygen well, so tissues break down, producing lots of free radicals. Anything that helps prevent or reverse that has to be healthy just in general. So for those with less severe cases of MS, hyperbaric oxygen will be quite valuable.”
In Dr. Wald’s experience, the effectiveness of exercise for those with MS depends very much on the individual. “Sometimes exercise worsens MS and sometimes it helps it. I think the reason is that if someone’s nutritional status is lousy, and the person is exercising, she is only increasing her stress. So you want to have a complete holistic program where supplements, diet, exercise, and stress reduction are all combined intelligently.”
The following chart summarizes the supplements I recommend adding to the protocol for overall brain health from chapter 16. In some cases, I recommend increasing the dose of a particular vitamin or supplement to specifically impact headache. In these cases, you should increase the daily dosage from chapter 16 to the level recommended for this specific condition. This protocol is designed for individuals who suffer from or are specifically concerned about multiple scle-rosis. If you are concerned about additional conditions discussed in other chapters, consult with a health professional about how you can safely impact multiple conditions. If you are taking medications, whether prescription or over-thecounter, or have any food restrictions, consult with your doctor before beginning any supplement program. Your health care provider should always be up-to-date on all vitamins, supplements, and herbal or homeopathic remedies you are taking. Supplement overdoses are rare, but possible, and certain combinations may affect individuals adversely.
The pathology of MS consists of the partial destruction of the myelin sheaths around the spinal cord, brain, and optic nerves, with its root in an autoimmune type of reaction from the body. The lesions are disseminated at intervals and symptoms are based on the location of the lesions. The course of illness takes on the form, then, of relapse and remission.
Take the following daily as directed:
| Phosphatidyl serine | 1, 000–1, 500 mg |
| Phosphatidyl choline Alpha GPC (glycerol phosphoryl choline) |
1, 000–1, 500 mg |
| (go to www.LEF.org) VitaminB12 (sublingual or via |
500 mg |
| IM injection Methylcobalamin) | 1–3 mg as directed |
| Vitamin B complex | 100 mg daily total |
| Vinpocetin | 10 mg |
| Acetyl L-carnitine | 500 mg twice a day |
| Ginkgo biloba | 200 mg twice a day |
| Coenzyme Q10 | 200–400 mg daily |
| Fish Oil | |
| EPA | 1, 000–2, 000 mg daily |
| DHA | 750–1, 500 mg daily.An excellent anti-inflammatory. Consider testing inflammation status via blood level of Cardio CRP. If the level is above 1.5, then higher fish oil is required. |
| GLA from evening primrose oil or borage oil Eliminate butter, milk, cheese, and all saturated fats. |
300–900 mg daily |
| Vitamin C | individualized as tolerated |
| Vitamin E | 400–1, 200 IU daily |
| NAC | 1, 200 mg daily |
| Alpha-lipoic acid | 500–1, 000 mg in split doses |
| Selenium | 200–400 mcg daily |
| Beta-carotene | 15, 000–25, 000 IU daily |
| Quercetin | 1, 000–3, 000 mg daily Also an immune supporter. |
| Curcumin | 1, 500–3, 000 mg daily |
| Nexrutine (Cox 2 inhibitor) | 500 mg |
| 5-Loxin | 50 mg |
Check homocysteine blood level to determine inflammation status. If above
8.5, then add the following:
| Folic Acid | 1 mg daily |
| Vitamin B6 | up to 150 mg daily from all sources or more |
| Vitamin B12 | 1 mg daily |
| Vitamin B complex TMG (trimethylglycine or described as Betaine, but |
100 mg daily |
| not Betaine HCL) | 500 mg daily or more. |
Then retest homocysteine levels to determine if your doses are adequate. Cardio CRP blood level: a measure of inflammation elevated above 1.5 Homocysteine: a measure of inflammation elevated above 8.0
| Vitamin D3 | 2, 000 IU daily or more. Consider monitoring blood levels via lab test code CPT 82306 (25-OH). |
| DHEA | 25–50 mg. Consider monitoring blood levels via lab test code CPT 82626. |
| Pregnenolone | 10 mg or more. Consider monitoring blood levels via lab test code CPT 84140. |
| Melatonin | 2–10 mg per night. Consider monitoring blood levels via lab test code CPT 83519. |
| NADH | 5–10 mg daily for energy |
| AHCC (mushroom complex) | individualized dose |
| MSM | individualized dose |
| Plant-Sprout sterols/sitosterolins | 500 mg four times a day |
| Magnesium citrate | 600–1, 000 mg as tolerated |
| Calcium citrate | 600–1, 000 mg as tolerated |
An increasing body of evidence is showing the benefits of natural modalities to overall health and well-being. Following is a sample of recent peer-reviewed scientific studies relating to multiple sclerosis.
In a 2012 article in the Townsend Letter, Dr. Marianne Marchese reviewed the alternative therapies for MS that have proven effective. Reports published in the Journal of Ophthalmology in 2010 and Frontiers in Neurology in 2012 found that resveratrol given to mice with an animal model of MS prevented neuronal loss during optic neuritis. A 2011 PLoS One animal study showed that a combination of green tea extract with a common conventional medication for MS, glatiramer acetate, positively affected disease onset, inflammatory infiltrates, and severity of clinical symptoms. A 2011 study published in the British Journal of Pharmacology concluded that cannabidiol inhibits pathogenic T cells, decreases spinal microglial activation, and decreases multiple sclerosis-like disease in mice. Other substances that have been found to possibly play a role in MS are lipoic acid, omega-6 fatty acids, omega-3 fatty acids, and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA).