Dietary supplementation with polyunsaturated fatty acids in acute remitting multiple sclerosis

Abstract

Fifty eight patients with acute remitting multiple sclerosis were included in a double-blind controlled trial of dietary supplementation with polyunsaturated fatty acids. Patients in the ‘treatment’ group received a spread containing linoleic acid and those in the ‘control’ group received oleic acid in a similar spread. There were no significant differences between the composition of the ‘treatment’ and ‘control’ groups, nor was there any significant difference in rate of clinical deterioration or frequency of acute exacerbations. There was evidence that exacerbations were of shorter duration and lesser severity in patients whose diet was supplemented with linoleic acid than in ‘control’ patients.