Article 08: Starvation May Help MS

Hi Chompin ChuMS

Betty Iams just sent this interesting link Starvation tactics 'could aid MS'

The news release is based on the attached article. The article only touches on the main theme of the research which is the role of leptin in EAE. The researchers have been looking at the role of leptin, the anorexic hormone, in autoimmune disease. Leptin is a hormone released by fat tissue (and T cells) and it goes straight to the brain. The more fat one has the more leptin tends to be released. It gets the brain to reduce appetite and increase metabolism so it has been touted as a potential weight control drug. People given shots of leptin lost substantial weight.

It also induces pro-inflammatory cytokines and T cell proliferation and thus contributes to the onset and progression of cell-mediated autoimmune diseases. Conversely, increased inflammation induces more leptin which clearly plays a role in the inflammatory process. Thus MS should contribute to weight loss.

This provides a reasonable tie in to Swank's low fat therapy for MS. Reduced fat equals reduced background leptin secretion equals reduced disease activity. The last line in the paper indicates that leptin concentration can be affected by nutritional intervention. I would bet the BBD is anti-leptin.

Ashton

For further information on leptins, see Leptin as a Novel Therapeutic Target for Immune Intervention

Question for Ashton Embry

Hi Ashton

Any thoughts on how this latest research influences the South Africa question? In the past we have assumed that saturated fat was a minor player compared with autoimmunity-triggering proteins and low vit d levels specifically because of the SA situation.

Andrew

Response from Ashton Embry

Andrew, As shown by the Australian data, adequate vitamin D protects against MS and other autoimmune diseases regardless of other dietary transgressions and infectious history (ie keeps MS low in SA despite high sat fat and problematic proteins). High sat fat and consequent higher leptin levels only becomes a problem when the protective cloak of adequate vitamin D is not present. It is just one more added risk factor.

Ashton