Throughout 2025, the team at Multiple Sclerosis News Today brought our readers the latest advances and updates in research related to multiple sclerosis (MS). Below are the top 10 most-read news stories we published this year. We look forward to continuing to serve the MS community in 2026 and…
Diet and nutrition
Eating more oily fish and wholegrain or wholemeal bread may help reduce a person’s risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new study that used data from a large U.K. database. The findings contribute to growing evidence showing that diet is “a potentially modifiable factor in 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…
People who drink coffee may have a more than 20% lower risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) compared with those who do not, according to a new analysis of published studies that pooled data from more than 4,500 participants from seven countries. “These results suggest that coffee consumption might…
Adherence to either the Mediterranean or the Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diets was associated with better performance in certain areas of thinking and memory among people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a U.K. study suggests. The Mediterranean diet reflects foods traditionally eaten in countries around the Mediterranean Sea.
Eating more carbohydrates is significantly associated with a higher risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS), particularly among women and people younger than 60, according to a study based on data from the U.K. “Higher intakes of total carbohydrates, total sugars, fiber, fructose, and glucose were significantly associated with increased…
People with multiple sclerosis (MS) have altered levels of bacteria in their mouths, with reduced levels of normal healthy bacteria and higher levels of bacteria that can cause disease, a new study reports. “Your mouth may reveal more about your overall health than you think,” Ashutosh Mangalam, PhD, senior…
Consuming large amounts of ultra-processed foods (UPF) — products high in additives, artificial ingredients, and extensive processing — is associated with increased disease activity in people with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS), which is the first presentation of multiple sclerosis (MS), a study has found. The analysis used a…
I’ve written in the past that I thought I could stand to lose a few pounds. Well, I finally put a little effort into it and have managed to do exactly that by making some changes to my diet. I’d hoped that losing weight would reveal the washboard stomach…
Following the MIND diet, a program that focuses on brain health, may help reduce disability, ease fatigue, and improve quality of life for people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to an analysis of data from a U.K. database. The diet, which combines aspects of the Mediterranean and the Dietary…
People with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) who started fasting or adopted a ketogenic diet — one low in carbs and rich in fat — for 18 months showed reductions in risk factors for heart and metabolic disease that were similar to those who followed a standard healthy diet, according…
A ketogenic diet — which involves eating a very low amount of carbohydrates and replacing them with fat — may help ease fatigue, improve neurological function, and boost life quality in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new analysis. Researchers stressed that available data on the effects…
People genetically prone to a higher body mass index (BMI) are also more likely to develop multiple sclerosis (MS), a study finds. The findings confirm an association between being overweight or obese and a higher likelihood of developing MS, and suggest that lifestyle changes to maintain a healthy weight…
High doses of vitamin D provide clinically modest but statistically significant benefits for adults with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a meta-analysis of published clinical trials. The study found patients who took the supplement saw reductions in disability scores, relapses, and new lesion formation. Those who took vitamin D for…
More people with multiple sclerosis (MS) are using diet modifications to boost well-being and to manage symptoms, but there’s a lack of data on how these changes influence the course of the disease, a review study found. There’s also no standardized set of dietary recommendations for patients, the researchers…
Following the MIND diet plan, rich in leafy greens, whole grains, legumes, nuts, berries, and lean meats, may help strengthen the body’s antioxidant defenses in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a study found. The Mediterranean-DASH Diet Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet combines the Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes those…
A ketogenic diet — a very low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet — rich in long-chain, saturated fatty acids like those in butter and fatty red meat didn’t reduce optic nerve damage in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS), a study shows. Instead, feeding mice this type of diet before the…
Exercise programs that are culturally tailored to Hispanics with multiple sclerosis (MS) may help these patients engage in regular physical activity, according to an interview-based study. The patients surveyed also say they prefer exercise that’s performed three to five days per week, and led by a coach in community…
People with multiple sclerosis (MS) in Austria spend an average of €136 (about $149) per month on nondrug therapies such as dietary supplements and therapeutic interventions like physiotherapy, a study found. These complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs) are generally not fully covered by Austria’s public healthcare system, leaving many…
Latifa Janahi takes a five-day course of corticosteroids to reduce inflammation in her body. (Photos courtesy of Latifa Janahi) Day 19 of 31 This is Latifa Janahi’s story: I am a woman from Bahrain Island who’s passionate about technology and baking. After working in the tech field for 10…
Amy Behimer sits in a rocking chair in her home. (Photos courtesy of Amy Behimer) Day 7 of 31 This is Amy Behimer’s story: When I was first diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), I thought my chance at a healthy, happy life was gone. As a pharmacist,…
People with multiple sclerosis (MS) who eat more fish are significantly less likely to see confirmed disability progression and the greater the intake, the lower the progression risk, a study in Sweden finds. The dietary habits of patients were assessed at the time of their diagnosis and disability progression…
Note: This study was updated March 3, 2025, to correct that a ketogenic diet is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet. Eating a version of the low-carbohydrate, high-fat ketogenic diet for six months led to an anti-inflammatory shift in immune cell populations among people with stable, relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS)…
Severe obesity during childhood and adolescence more than triples the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS), and losing weight through early lifestyle changes did not decrease the likelihood of MS, according to a nationwide study in Sweden. Although the overall risk remained low, with 0.13% of people…
Higher cholesterol levels are associated with worse cognitive impairments in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a study reported. The findings imply that medications or lifestyle changes that reduce cholesterol levels may be useful for addressing MS cognitive impairment, researchers said. The study, “Lipid measures are associated…
Two enzymes in brain cells are responsible for mediating the toxic effects of certain fat molecules in multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study in a mouse model of the disease suggests. According to the researchers, these enzymes may serve as potential targets for easing neurodegeneration in people with MS.
A ketogenic diet — a very low-carbohydrate, high-fat eating plan called a keto diet for short — was able to lessen the severity of multiple sclerosis (MS) in mouse models by modulating the activity of gut bacteria and their metabolites, a new study shows. The findings suggest that…
An online education program called “Eating Well with MS” improved the dietary behavior of adults with multiple sclerosis (MS), and was deemed in a study to be practical to complete, interesting, and valuable for patients. “Our study completion rates highlight the practicality of the intervention,” the researchers evaluating the…
My youngest recently left for college. It was hard to say goodbye, but I know it was time to let her go. I am now an empty nester, though I prefer to think of myself as a successful bird launcher. So what happens now? Many people get to know their…
People with multiple sclerosis show subtle alterations in gut bacteria that seem to be consistent across populations in the U.S. and Asia, a new analysis of previously published studies found. “Our work … establishes a generalized and common gut microbiome pattern in patients with MS across geographically and technically…