Having increased consumption of fish slows down the progression of multiple sclerosis, according to a new study.
- Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system and can cause disability.
- The consumption of lean and fatty fish slows down the progression of the disease, according to the new study.
- The protective effects were more pronounced in patients who maintained constant fish consumption.
Multiple sclerosis, autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system, causes motor, sensitive, balance and/or visual disorders that can lead to handicap.
Eating a lot of fish would help slow the progress of pathology, according to a study published in the journal JOunnal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & PsychiatryFebruary 25, 2025.
Multiple sclerosis: increased consumption of fish fighting handicap
To understand the influence of fish on the health of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), the researchers took over medical records of 2,719 people affected by the disease. In addition to the examinations, the consumption of fish over 15 years has been evaluated for 1,719 volunteers.
The analysis of all the data collected highlights an association between eating a large amount of lean and fatty fish at the time of diagnosis and a reduced risk of worsening of invalidity at 24 weeks. Large consumers of salmon, mackerel, colins or cod also had less risk of reaching greater degrees of disability (EDSS3 and EDSS4).
In addition, patients who had constant consumption of fish during the follow -up period had more pronounced protective effects.
SEP: The anti-inflammatory properties of fish at the heart of the protective effect?
The team, made up of researchers from Karolinska Institutet (Sweden) and China Agricultural University (China), advances a hypothesis explaining the protective effect of fish in patients with multiple sclerosis.
“Our results suggest that higher fish consumption is associated with a reduced risk of progression of invalidity in MS, probably due to the anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties of the nutrients present in the fish”write the authors in their scientific article. They add that their work underlines “The potential importance of eating habits in the management of MS.”
However, they recognize that additional studies are necessary to confirm their conclusions before integrating the consumption of fish in the recommendations given to the patients affected by the MS.
