Multiple Sclerosis therapy, natural treatment with herbs vitamins ginkgo fish oil

Nerve fibers inside and outside the brain are wrapped with many layers of insulation called the myelin sheath. Much like the insulation around an electrical wire, the myelin sheath permits electrical impulses to be conducted along the nerve fiber with speed and accuracy. When myelin is damaged, nerves don't conduct impulses properly. Multiple sclerosis is a disorder in which the nerves of the eye, brain, and spinal cord lose patches of myelin.

Define multiple sclerosis
The term multiple sclerosis comes from the multiple areas of scarring (sclerosis) that represent many patches of demyelination in the nervous system. The possible neurologic signs and symptoms of multiple sclerosis are so diverse that doctors may miss the diagnosis when the first symptoms appear. While the disease often worsens slowly over time, affected people usually have periods of relatively good health (remissions) alternating with debilitating flare-ups (exacerbations). About 400,000 Americans, mostly young adults, have the disease.

Alternative and natural therapy for multiple sclerosis
At this point it is very difficult to know with any certainty which supplements, in what dosages, and in what combination (s) would be helpful for multiple sclerosis, if at all. We also have little idea how these supplements interact with medicines currently used for multiple sclerosis. If you have multiple sclerosis, make your doctor aware of some of these preliminary studies, and perhaps he or she would want to monitor you while you give them a try. There is no definite proof yet that these supplements will help. Much more research is needed before natural options are considered. It is possible that someone's condition may get worse by stopping their existing medicines and using natural supplements exclusively. It is also possible that certain natural supplements may lead to a slight reduction of the necessary pharmaceutical medication dosage. If you do plan to use these supplements, keep the dosages low at first until you have a grasp on how they are influencing your condition or whether they are interfering or improving the actions of the pharmaceutical medicines.

Fish Oil capsules could be helpful
Carnitine has been found helpful in reducing fatigue in patients with multiple sclerosis.
Curcumin may block the progression of multiple sclerosis.
Ginkgo biloba have shown intriguing preliminary evidence of efficacy.
Beta sitosterol
Vitamin D may be helpful

Beta sitosterol and multiple sclerosis
Comparison of the immunomodulatory effects of the plant sterol beta-sitosterol to simvastatin in peripheral blood cells from multiple sclerosis patients.
Int Immunopharmacol. 2009 Jan; Desai F, Ramanathan M, Fink CS, Wilding GE, Weinstock-Guttman B, Awad AB. Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA.
Statins as hypocholesterolimic drugs have recently shown to have ant-inflammatory properties and thus are being assessed for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. Dietary phytosterols such as beta-sitosterol are also hypocholesterolemic compounds and from preliminary studies they appear to have also anti-inflammatory properties. In this communication, we report on studies to investigate the immunomodulatory effects of beta-sitosterolon proliferation and release of key cytokines from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of MS patients. In PBMC of multiple sclerosis patients, 16 microM beta-sitosterol had no effect on cell proliferation; however simvastatin (SV) at 10 and 20 microM reduced cell proliferation by as much as 60%. beta-sitosterol (4 microM) reduced TNF-alpha release by 24% in PBMC of MS patients whereas 10 microM SV reduced TNF-alpha release by 94%. beta-sitosterol reduced IL-12 release in multiple sclerosis patients at 4 and 16 microM by 27% and 30%, respectively. In healthy subjects, 16 microM beta-sitosterol increased the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 by 47% whereas 10 microM SV decreased IL-10 by 30%. In PBMC of multiple sclerosis patients, beta-sitosterol had no effect on IL-10 release whereas 10 microM SV reduced IL-10 by 62%. beta-sitosterol (4 microM) reduced IL-5 release by 47% in MS patients while 10 microM SV reduced IL-5 by 89%. The results show that beta-sitosterol is effective in modulating the secretion of pro/anti-inflammatory cytokines and suggest a potential beneficial effect of beta-sitosterol in multiple sclerosis management without the side effects associated with statin therapy.

Fatty acids and multiple sclerosis
Polyunsaturated fatty acids in the pathogenesis and treatment of multiple sclerosis.
Br J Nutr. 2007 Oct. Harbige LS, Sharief MK. Centre for Bioscience Research, School of Science, University of Greenwich at Medway, United Kingdom.
In a randomised double-blind, placebo controlled trial of a high dose and low dose selected GLA (18:3n-6)-rich oil and placebo control, the high dose had a marked clinical effect in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, significantly decreasing the relapse rate and the progression of disease. Laboratory findings paralleled clinical changes in the placebo group in that production of mononuclear cell pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-alpha, IL-1beta) was increased and anti-inflammatory TGF-beta markedly decreased with loss of membrane n-6 fatty acids linoleic (18:2n-6) and arachidonic acids (20:4n-6). In contrast there were no such changes in the high dose group. The improvement in disability  in the high dose suggests there maybe a beneficial effect on neuronal lipids and neural function in multiple sclerosis. Thus disturbed n-6 fatty acid metabolism in multiple sclerosis gives rise to loss of membrane long chain n-6 fatty acids and loss of the anti-inflammatory regulatory cytokine TGF-beta, particularly during the relapse phase, as well as loss of these important neural fatty acids for CNS structure and function and consequent long term neurological deficit in multiple sclerosis.
   Comments: Future research will indicate which types of fatty acids are most helpful as a treatment for multiple sclerosis.

Vitamin D and multiple sclerosis
An abundance of vitamin D seems to help prevent multiple sclerosis. Research with 7 million people found that white members of the U.S. military with the highest blood levels of vitamin D were less likely to develop multiple sclerosis than people with low levels. Multiple sclerosis historically has been more common in people who live in regions farther from the equator where there is less intense year-round sunlight. These findings don’t prove that a lack of vitamin D can cause multiple slerosis, so it’s too preliminary to recommend that people take vitamin D pills to avoid the disease.

Possible triggers for Multiple Sclerosis
On-the-job exposure to organic solvents may increase a person's risk of developing MS.
Infection with a common bacteria known as C. pneumoniae may increase the risk of developing multiple sclerosis.

Multiple Sclerosis Medical therapy
Injectable beta-interferon, a relatively new treatment, reduces the frequency of relapses. Other promising treatments still under investigation include other interferons, oral myelin, and glatiramer to help keep the body from attacking its own myelin. The benefits of plasmapheresis and intravenous gamma globulins haven't been established, and these treatments aren't practical for long-term therapy.
    Corticosteroids such as prednisone taken by mouth or methylprednisolone given intravenously for short periods to relieve acute symptoms have been the main form of therapy for decades.

Psychological factors in multiple sclerosis
Several psychological disorders occur in patients with multiple sclerosis. Depression is the predominant psychological disturbance with lifetime prevalence around 50 percent. Depression is more common during relapses and it may exacerbate fatigue and cognitive dysfunction. Anxiety is also frequent, occurs in newly diagnosed patients, and its co-morbidity with depression has been suggested to increase the rate of suicidal ideation. In some cases severe stress may trigger multiple sclerosis symptoms.

Lamotrigine for multiple sclerosis pain
Approximately 30% of patients with multiple sclerosis have central pain. The anticonvulsant lamotrigine is not helpful in reducing pain in multiple sclerosis patients.

Symptoms
Multiple sclerosis symptoms vary but can be disabling and can include tingling pain in the arms and legs, fatigue and vision problems.

Incidence of Multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is among the most common nerve disorders affecting young adults, mostly women. About 350,000 people in the United States and 2 million worldwide have MS, a chronic autoimmune disease in which the body attacks the fatty insulation that surrounds nerve fibers. Nerve fibers inside and outside the brain are wrapped with many layers of insulation called the myelin sheath. Much like the insulation around an electrical wire, the myelin sheath permits electrical impulses to be conducted along the nerve fiber with speed and accuracy. When myelin is damaged, nerves don't conduct impulses properly. Multiple sclerosis is a disorder in which the nerves of the eye, brain, and spinal cord lose patches of myelin. The term multiple sclerosis comes from the multiple areas of scarring (sclerosis) that represent many patches of demyelination in the nervous system. The possible neurologic signs and symptoms of multiple sclerosis are so diverse that doctors may miss the diagnosis when the first symptoms appear. While the disease often worsens slowly over time, affected people usually have periods of relatively good health (remissions) alternating with debilitating flare-ups (exacerbations). About 400,000 Americans, mostly young adults, have the disease.

Questions
Q. Finally. some hope. Just came off Copaxone for multiple sclerosis. Need any info on natural methods for treatment.
   A. We will update this page regarding natural treatment for multiple sclerosis.

Q. When my twins were five months old, I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. As much as it was a shock to myself and my family, I had to deal with this reality and since April 2006, I have been injecting myself with Copaxone every night since then. Copaxone, manufactured by Teva Marion Partners, is the brand name for a synthetic chemical used to modify the course of multiple sclerosis. Recently, within the last two weeks, I have had a slight relapse where I was semi dizzy and have had to stay home, no driving. I called my neurologist, told him of my relapse and he suggested I might take three shots of a steroid. I have not done that yet because, well, when I was diagnosed with this disease, my Mom and Dad did lots of research on line and found two homeopathic methods to possibly reverse these symptoms. One of these homeopathic methods is Riso Triene and Mona Vie. RiSotriene is a concentrated stabilized rice bran. Mona Vie is acai. When I became dizzy again, I began drinking Riso Triene at least three times a day and when my mom got a shipment of Mona Vie out to me, I also began drinking that twice a day. It usually takes a month, as you know, for any new product you are consuming to work with your body. So, I have only began drinking Mona Vie for a couple of weeks. As of right now, I am beginning to feel better. A little dizzy still and not driving. I will not drive again until I am completely better. Oh, and the Riso Triene, that in the beginning was difficult to try and drink everyday because my twins are always at my feet and legs and make it hard for me to practically do anything. But, I have had no choice to drink this now that my health was failing me again. With that said, can you please give me some advise on what supplements would be real good for me to take along with these products I am already taking?
My neurologist knows I am taking these and he also suggested I look for other supplements that may be of help to me.
   A. We wish you well, and perhaps some of the supplements mentioned on this page could help you.

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