Doctor: salt is a trigger for MS

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) -- A surprising discovery to what could trigger autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis. It's yet another reason to watch your salt intake.

A three part study shows that salt is a trigger for autoimmune disorders like multiple sclerosis, which attacks the central nervous system.
  
"It was incredibly surprising," Dr. David Hafler said.
 
Dr. David Hafler, the lead investigator of the Yale component, says it began with discovering that people who ate at fast food restaurants had a higher level of inflammatory cells in their blood.

"We went back and looked at what's in fast food, fat and salt and when we added a pinch of salt to the culture, it induced an incredible degree of inflammation."

The test on mice confirmed what they suspected.      

"We put them on what is a western diet of high salt," said Dr. Hafler. "We all live on a high salt diet and the model for multiple sclerosis became much worse. Rather than a limp tail, they became totally paralyzed."

Neurologist Dr. Hafler, a notable MS researcher now has the evidence: a low salt diet is a good thing.

"We're genetically set up to deal with very low salt," Dr. Hafler said. "It's just not adding salt, but really staying away from processed foods, staying away from fast foods which are very high salt and high fat."

MS patient Stephanie Haughney understands the logic behind the findings.     
 
"Anything you put into your body with an immune disorder, an autoimmune disorder, it makes sense that it's going to interact that way," said Haughney.

She was diagnosed with MS almost three years ago and is this year's spokesperson for the annual Traveler's Walk MS.

"I know in my own life, I have my own dietary triggers," Haughney said, "caffeine, alcohol, tend to trigger symptoms for me so I've cut them out of my diet."

Now she'll add salt to that list.

"MS is not due to bad genes or bad environment," said Dr. Hafler. "It's the bad interaction between the genes and environment. We can't change the genes, we can change the environment."

The next step will be studying MS patients on a low salt diet. Dr. Hafler says it could lead to making the disease better or keeping some people from getting it. This study was in part funded by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Coming up next month is the Travelers Walk MS, which raises thousands of dollars for research, resource and services for the 6,000 people living with MS in our state.
 
There are 12 sites and our own Darren Kramer is once again the Grand Marshall. Click here to learn more about the event and how to register.