If you have multiple sclerosis (MS), you have probably experienced at least one flare in the course of your disease. When flares occur, they can worsen existing symptoms or cause new ones to erupt.

For that reason, anyone with MS is likely to make note of things that can trigger their flares, like:

• Stress
• Lack of sleep
• Infections (like a urinary tract infection)
• Increased body heat

It’s also not uncommon for certain foods to trigger MS flares. Typically, experts recommend avoiding saturated and trans fats, refined sugar and alcohol — all of which can contribute to inflammation. Dairy, gluten and salt are also suspect, though evidence is mixed regarding the connection between these foods and MS flares.

Within the scope of saturated fats are animal products like red meat and full-fat dairy. But many plant-based products contain saturated fat as well. Surprisingly, this is where we find a food trigger that is especially bad for people with MS…

A not-so-benign oil

Palm oil is a vegetable oil made from the fruit of oil palm trees. It’s considered a high-yield/low-cost crop, so it’s used in more than half of processed and packaged foods — from pizza, donuts and chocolate to even deodorant, shampoo and toothpaste.

Previous research has looked at the toxic effect of a high-fat diet on the severity of MS symptoms. MS causes extensive damage to the myelin sheath that insulates and protects nerves throughout the body. Current MS treatments focus on controlling the immune system’s response.

However, the exact mechanisms that contribute to neurodegeneration in MS have remained poorly understood. That’s why a group of international researchers focused on how a diet rich in palm oil could impact neuronal health in MS.

They used the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) model of inflammatory demyelination. They found that a diet high in palm oil led to a more severe disease course in mice — and narrowed the reaction down to two enzymes present in neurons: ceramide synthase 5 and 6 (CerS5 and CerS6).

According to principal investigator Patrizia Casaccia of the City University of New York (CUNY), these enzymes convert palm oil into a toxic substance known as C16 ceramide, which is responsible for inflicting damage to the mitochondria. This damage then deprives the neurons of the energy they need to counteract inflammation in the brain.

Casaccia says the researchers subsequently explored whether inactivating these enzymes would be neuroprotective. They discovered that when they genetically deleted CerS5 and CerS6 in neurons, neurodegeneration was prevented in their experimental MS model. This was true even when the mice were fed a palm oil-rich diet.

In short, the researchers have made a significant breakthrough by pinpointing a specific metabolic pathway through which dietary fats like palm oil can worsen MS symptoms. This knowledge empowers individuals with MS to make informed nutritional choices that can positively impact their health.

How to avoid palm oil

Hopefully, this research will expand to the development of MS therapies.

Right now, though, the best course of action for anyone with MS is just to obliterate palm oil from their diet.

But truthfully, anyone—period—may want to avoid palm oil…

Researchers in Spain discovered that a diet rich in palmitic acid triggers the spread of cancerous tumors. They found it makes these tumor cells more aggressive.

Of course, avoiding palm oil is not easily done. As noted earlier, palm oil is in hundreds of foods, making it a significant component of the Standard American Diet. The good news is the vast majority are prepackaged foods, so following a whole-food diet is the best course for eliminating palm oil.

It’s less likely that using personal care products containing palm oil has the same impact as ingesting foods made with palm oil. However, environmental reasons, specifically deforestation, have made palm oil-free alternatives more available — particularly oral care products such as toothpaste.

Sources:

New research identifies ways to protect neurons from the negative effect of high-fat diet on multiple sclerosis progression — ScienceDaily

Neuroprotective effect of neuron-specific deletion of the C16 ceramide synthetic enzymes in an animal model of multiple sclerosis — Glia

Managing Relapses in Multiple Sclerosis — National Multiple Sclerosis Society

Multiple sclerosis diet: Foods to eat and avoid — Multiple Sclerosis News Today

Worried About MS Flares? 4 Triggers That Can Worsen Your Symptoms — Everyday Health

8 things to know about palm oil — WWF-UK