Switching your diet to avoid or incorporate certain foods may help with your MS symptoms. But research on whether diet and MS are linked is inconclusive.

When you live with multiple sclerosis (MS), the foods you eat can make a significant difference in your overall health.

No specific diet can treat or cure MS, but many people find relief from symptoms by modifying their overall nutrition program.

For some, making a few minor changes in daily food choices is enough. But for others, adopting a new diet program helps reduce existing symptoms and prevent new ones from developing.

Nutrition plays a vital role in boosting health. And if you live with MS, diet is important for managing symptoms such as inflammation and fatigue.

The connection between diet and MS symptoms hasn’t been widely researched, so the theory that nutrition plays a role in managing its symptoms is controversial.

Evanthia Bernitsas, MD, a neurologist at Detroit Medical Center’s Harper University Hospital, explains that existing research studies on the topic are small, not well-designed, and tend to be biased.

But overall, Bernitsas says it’s common for people living with MS to follow an anti-inflammatory diet that:

Kiah Connolly, MD, agrees. “Because MS is a demyelinating autoimmune disease and autoimmune diseases involve inflammation, many theories on the potential positive effects diet may have on the disease are based in decreasing inflammation in the body and improving neuronal health,” Connolly explains.

Some of the more popular theories she’s referring to include the paleo diet, Wahls Protocol, Swank diet, and gluten-free diet.

Is it safe to change your diet with MS?

Because most of the suggested dietary modifications involve healthy foods that may benefit anyone’s overall health, Connolly says making many of these diet changes is generally a safe option for people with MS to try.

But be sure to speak with your doctor before changing your diet.

The paleo diet includes anything people could eat before the establishment of modern food processing (modeled after the Paleolithic era).

What to eat:

What to avoid:

The elimination of these foods, many of which may cause inflammation, can be helpful for people seeking dietary modifications to help manage their MS symptoms.

Terry Wahls, MD, created the Wahls Protocol, which focuses on the role food plays in the management of MS symptoms.

Wahls’s own MS diagnosis led her to do a deep dive into the research around food and the role it plays in autoimmune diseases.

She discovered that a nutrient-rich paleo diet high in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and essential fatty acids helped reduce her symptoms.

What to eat:

  • deeply pigmented berries and veggies
  • green vegetables
  • sulfur-rich veggies, such as mushrooms and asparagus

As someone who lives with MS and conducts clinical trials that test the effect of nutrition and lifestyle to treat MS, Wahls knows how important dietary strategies are as part of a treatment plan for MS.

How is the Wahls Protocol different from paleo?

The Wahls Protocol emphasizes eating a lot of vegetables to meet the body’s optimal nutritional needs through food.

According to Dr. Roy L. Swank, the creator of the Swank MS diet, eating a diet very low in saturated fat (15 grams per day maximum) can help manage MS symptoms.

The Swank diet also eliminates ultra-processed foods containing fat and hydrogenated oils.

During your first year on the diet, red meat isn’t allowed. You can have 3 ounces of red meat per week after the first year.

What to eat:

  • whole grains
  • as many fruits and veggies as you want
  • very lean protein, including skinless white meat poultry and white fish
  • essential fatty acids

What does an expert say?

Bernitsas says this diet, which emphasizes a high intake of omega-3s, has the potential to benefit people with MS.

The focus on keeping saturated fat to a minimum also shows promise in managing inflammation.

There are many theories about the impact of gluten on MS symptoms.

A 2018 review citing older studies found that a gluten-free diet may positively affect those with MS. But other studies included in the review found no positive effect.

More research on the link between gluten and MS is needed.

“Some people suspect that gluten is an undiagnosed allergen in many of us and functions as a source of inflammation contributing to ailments in all of us,” Connolly explains.

When going gluten-free, you should focus on eliminating all foods that contain the protein gluten, including wheat, rye, and barley.

Foods to avoid include:

  • batter-fried foods
  • beer
  • flour, including flour in baked goods
  • processed meats and imitation crab meat
  • salad dressings, soups, ketchup, soy sauce, and marinara sauce

Why go gluten-free?

“While this is not proven, some rationalize that eliminating gluten from the diet will eliminate this source of inflammation and decrease the symptoms of MS,” Connolly adds.

Following a well-balanced and carefully planned diet is a smart choice when considering dietary modifications.

But following a specific diet isn’t required to manage your MS symptoms. Just focus on eating what doesn’t cause your symptoms to flare.

Changing your diet to the Wahls Protocol, Swank diet, paleo diet, or gluten-free diet may help with symptoms of MS. But more research is needed on the link between diet and MS.

If you have any questions about how to implement changes to your diet, talk with your doctor or a healthcare professional.

Sara Lindberg, BS, MEd, is a freelance health and fitness writer. She holds a bachelor’s degree in exercise science and a master’s degree in counseling. She’s spent her life educating people on the importance of health, wellness, mindset, and mental health. She specializes in the mind-body connection, with a focus on how our mental and emotional well-being impact our physical fitness and health.