Multiple Sclerosis: How Metabolic Disorders and Deficiencies Are Linked to the Disease

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory neurological disease that affects the brain and spinal cord.

It is an autoimmune condition in which the immune system fails to recognise the protective sheath of nerves—myelin—as self tissue and consequently attacks and destroys it.

Patients with MS present metabolic disorders that aggravate the degeneration of nervous tissue.

Deficiencies in the body and metabolic disorders are a significant factor in both the development and progression of MS. Only in recent years has the extent to which metabolism influences immune system regulation—and contributes to autoimmune diseases such as MS—been fully recognised.

Over the last five years, metabolic processes have been highlighted as a central factor in the development of MS and autoimmune diseases in general.

This shift represents an important advancement in the fight against multiple sclerosis, offering deeper insight into the mechanisms driving the disease and contributing to improved therapeutic approaches.

The metabolic disorders associated with the onset and worsening of MS include:

• Deficiencies in micronutrients, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, omega-3 fats, and antioxidants
• Insulin resistance and impaired glucose metabolism
• Deregulated inflammatory responses
• Alterations in the microbial flora
• Dysfunction of myelin repair mechanisms
• Impaired energy production (mitochondrial dysfunction)
• Disruptions in lipid metabolism
• Increased oxidative stress

These metabolic disorders are directly linked to disease progression and the shift from the relapsing–remitting form of MS to the progressive form.

Patients with MS experience metabolic disorders that further exacerbate the degeneration of nervous tissue.

Early detection and targeted intervention of metabolic disorders play a crucial role in disease management and can help delay symptom progression and improve the quality of life of individuals living with MS.

An individual’s metabolic status is shaped by multiple factors, including:

• Lifestyle
• Diet
• The state of the microbial flora
• Medication
• The toxic load of the body (heavy metals, industrial chemicals)
• Exposure to microbial pathogens
• Stress

Vitamin D, the state of the bacterial flora, and omega-3 fatty acids are metabolic risk factors with particular importance in the pathogenesis of MS.

They are directly related to the development of myelin damage, the management of inflammation, and the regulation of the immune system.

It is encouraging that these are modifiable risk factors. Their improvement is directly linked to the course of the disease.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a key factor in all autoimmune diseases and especially in MS. High doses of vitamin D have an immunoregulatory effect. They reduce the factors that cause inflammation (interleukin-17) and enhance the mechanisms that control the body’s immune response (CD4+ memory).

Researchers from Johns Hopkins, Duke University, and Stanford published in Neurology the results of a study on the administration of vitamin D to two groups of patients with multiple sclerosis.

One group received low-dose vitamin D, while the other received higher doses, 10,400 IU for 6 months.

The average blood vitamin D level of those who received 800 IU remained very low (6.9 ng/ml), whereas the average level of those who received the higher dose was significantly elevated (34.9 ng/ml).

The study found that high doses of vitamin D are safe and have a strong immunoregulatory effect in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Adequate levels are essential for the proper functioning of the immune system—both for reducing susceptibility to infections and for enabling the immune system to correctly recognise the body’s own tissues. Low vitamin D levels are associated with more frequent relapses and a more severe course of MS.

Patients suffering from autoimmune disease often show resistance to vitamin D and therefore require larger doses and higher serum levels to achieve the same biological effect.

Vitamin D enhances the immune system’s ability to fight pathogenic viruses and microbes while restoring the body’s ability to recognise its own cells and tissues.

Reaching optimal vitamin D levels should be a priority in both prevention and management of MS. Measurement of 25-OH-D3 levels should be performed in all patients with autoimmune disease.

It is noteworthy that patients suffering from autoimmune disease often show resistance to vitamin D and therefore require larger doses and higher serum levels to achieve the same biological effect.

Studies have shown that as vitamin D levels increase:

• The likelihood of relapse decreases. An increase of 20 ng/ml reduces relapse risk by 50%.
• The risk of new lesions decreases. For every 10 ng/ml increase in blood vitamin D levels, the likelihood of detecting a new lesion on MRI drops by 15%, while the likelihood of detecting an active lesion drops by 32%.

To gain the full benefit of vitamin D, the body must also maintain adequate levels of the micronutrients that support its function. These micronutrients, known as vitamin D cofactors, include:

• Vitamin K2
• Zinc
• Boron
• Magnesium
• Calcium
• B-complex vitamins

Patients with MS often require higher doses than healthy individuals to achieve the maximum biological effect.

This needs to be carried out under medical supervision with a PCP and guided by blood tests that monitor the body’s response.

In recent years, a significant number of studies have shown that maintaining adequate vitamin D levels can have a protective effect and reduce the risk of developing multiple sclerosis.

Individuals with greater sun exposure and higher vitamin D levels have a lower risk of developing MS. Vitamin D supplementation is considered an important factor in lowering the risk of MS.

Specialised Tests That Detect Deficiencies & Metabolic Disorders Redefine the Care of MS

It is vital, in parallel with or following the diagnosis of the disease, to identify and manage the underlying metabolic disorders and risk factors that lead to its occurrence.

The earlier the metabolic disorders associated with MS are managed, the more effective the prevention and treatment interventions are.

The detection and treatment of metabolic disorders associated with MS are achieved by performing special tests that measure profiles metabolic status, inflammation levels, and micronutrient levels.

These are tests detect metabolic disorders and precise deficiencies associated with the onset of multiple sclerosis.

Addressing these metabolic disorders—through targeted lifestyle interventions, correction of deficiencies, and appropriate medications prescribed by one’s physician to control inflammation—can lead to better clinical outcomes and an improved quality of life for patients.

Restoring the body’s metabolic balance, combined with the implementation of targeted intervention in lifestyle and nutrition, improves the clinical picture and the health trajectory of patients with MS.

New evidence confirms that to achieve substantial improvement in health and quality of life for patients with autoimmune disease, each patient must be treated as a unique case.

The metabolic disorders and deficiencies in essential nutrients that led to disease onset must be corrected.

Medication, correction of deficiencies, and nutrition must all be tailored to each patient’s unique metabolic profile. This personalized approach helps ensure that improvements are sustained over the long term.

By measuring multiple biomarkers across more than 12 core body systems, we can identify the specific interventions each patient needs to positively influence the course of the disease.

Although there is no permanent cure for MS, our clinical experience shows that controlling symptoms while simultaneously correcting the underlying metabolic disorders can substantially improve patients’ overall health, enhance symptom control, and reduce the frequency of relapses.

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