Study: Eating a gluten-free diet may reduce MS disability for women
Results of 6-month study show better disease outcomes, weight loss
- In women with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, eating a gluten-free diet for six months was found to ease disability.
- Following such an eating plan also improved body composition and led to weight loss.
- The findings suggest a gluten-free diet may be a complementary therapy for people with MS.
A six-month gluten-free diet significantly eased disability and supported a healthier body composition in women with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), a new small study found.
The findings support growing evidence linking the gut-brain axis and metabolic inflammation to MS, and suggest that a gluten-free diet may be a promising dietary intervention for people with multiple sclerosis (MS). About 85% of people with MS are diagnosed first with the relapsing-remitting form of the condition, in which relapses, or periods of new or worsening symptoms, are interspersed with periods of remission in which disease signs ease.
“A gluten-free diet improved disease outcomes … in RRMS patients over six months,” the researchers wrote in the “Highlights” section of their study. Further, “weight management and other … improvements were observed in RRMS patients,” according to the team.
The scientists specifically noted that levels of a compound produced by gut bacteria that’s known to trigger inflammation “significantly decreased in the [gluten-free diet] intervention group.”
The study, “Effect of a gluten-free diet on serum lipopolysaccharide levels and disease progression in multiple sclerosis patients: A 6–month longitudinal study,” was published in the journal Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders.
MS occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy parts of the brain and spinal cord. This causes inflammation and nerve cell damage, which ultimately results in disease symptoms and leads to disability.
There is no specific diet for MS
While there is no specific diet for MS, healthy eating is thought to help control symptoms and slow disability progression. In MS, many patients choose to remove gluten, a protein found in wheat, as well as barley and rye, from their diet.
A gluten-free diet is essential for people with celiac disease, an autoimmune disease in which the immune system reacts to gluten, causing damage to the gut. However, the researchers noted, there is no evidence to suggest that this diet offers benefits in MS.
“While gluten-free diets have gained popularity in recent years for various health conditions, there are no official guidelines recommending this diet outside of celiac disease,” the researchers wrote.
To know more about this diet, a group of researchers in Turkey compared a structured gluten-free diet with a standard gluten-containing eating plan in 54 women with RRMS. The participants on the gluten-free plan were educated about gluten and gluten-containing foods, and received gluten-free diet plans tailored to their preferences and socioeconomic status. The women in the control diet, meanwhile, were given only general healthy eating advice without any specific dietary interventions.
Both groups followed their assigned diet for six months, and food intake was assessed after three and six months.
Less disability seen after 6 months on gluten-free diet
Disability was measured at the start and end using the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), which ranges from zero (no disability) to 10 (severe disability). After six months, EDSS scores reduced by an average of 0.24 points in the gluten-free group, while the control group showed no change in disability levels.
Because gluten is thought to contribute to inflammation in part through its action on the gut microbiome — the collection of bacteria and other microbes living in the gut — the study also measured levels of serum lipopolysaccharide, or LPS, over time. This is a compound produced by gut bacteria that can trigger inflammation when it enters the bloodstream.
Data showed that levels of LPS also decreased significantly with the gluten-free diet, while they tended to increase in the control group.
Weight and body composition improved significantly in the gluten-free group, the researchers noted. Specifically, these women lost an average of 2.09 kg (about 4.6 pounds). Their waist circumference, hip circumference, and body fat also decreased, but lean body mass remained stable, indicating healthy weight loss rather than muscle loss. The other group did not experience these improvements.
A six-month gluten-free diet improved disability, reduced [LPS levels in the body], and favorably altered body composition in RRMS patients, supporting its potential as a complementary nutritional therapy in multiple sclerosis management.
Energy and carbohydrate (sugar) intake also decreased over time with the gluten-free diet, the data showed. Vitamin A intake also decreased slightly, while protein, fat, fiber, and other vitamins remained stable. These nutritional changes may have supported weight management without causing deficiencies.
Overall, according to the researchers, “a six-month gluten-free diet improved [decreased] disability, reduced [LPS levels in the body], and favorably altered body composition in RRMS patients, supporting its potential as a complementary nutritional therapy in multiple sclerosis management.”
While these findings suggest that a structured dietary approach may be a useful complementary strategy in managing MS, alongside medical treatment, “future studies could involve larger regions and include physical activity tracking to address potential patient dropouts and diet adherence challenges,” the researchers wrote.
As a study limitation, the team noted that “grain-based diets are prevalent” in Turkey, and that “implementing a gluten-free diet in [such] countries … is very challenging.”
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