Salt link to MS?

Friday August 29th, 2014

Excessive consumption of salt is known to be linked to high blood pressure - but it may also aggravate problems for people with multiple sclerosis, doctors warn today.

A study of patients with multiple sclerosis has found that those who consumed the most salt, suffered the greatest worsening of symptoms.

The research, reported in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, involved some 70 patients.

The researchers say they allowed for other factors such as weight and vitamin D levels in calculating the effect of salt.

Researcher Dr Mauricio Farez, of the Raúl Carrea Institute for Neurological Research, Buenos Aires, Argentina, called for more research into a possible link.

He said: "This is an observational study, so no definitive conclusions about cause and effect can be drawn.  And higher levels of salt in the urine may reflect greater disease activity rather than the other way round.

"But high salt intake is implicated in various aspects of poor health. And the findings suggest further research into whether dietary salt reduction could ease MS symptoms or slow the progression of the disease might now be warranted."

Sodium intake is associated with increased disease activity in multiple sclerosis Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry 29 August 2014; doi 10.1136/jnnp-2014-307928 [abstract]

Tags: Brain & Neurology | Diet & Food | South America

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