Effects of anti-Inflammatory-antioxidant-rich diet and co-supplemented synbiotics intervention in patients with progressive forms of multiple sclerosis: a single-center, single-blind randomized clinical trial.

Background: Current evidence has demonstrated that patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) have dysbiotic gut microbiomes, and anti-inflammatory nutritional interventions can normalize this status. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the effects of dietary intervention in patients with progressive forms of MS.

Methods: Seventy patients with three forms of progressive MS (primary-progressive, secondary-progressive, and progressive-relapsing) were randomly assigned into intervention (daily synbiotics capsule plus anti-inflammatory-antioxidant rich diet) or control (placebo capsule plus dietary recommendations) groups for four months. Faecal calprotectin level, Impact of Vision Impairment (IVI), Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS), and anthropometric measurements were evaluated at baseline and trial cessation. Analysis of covariance was conducted and adjusted for age, gender, education level, family history & duration of MS, type of progressive MS, type of main drug, and physical activity.

Results: Sixty-nine participants were included in the final analysis (n of intervention = 34; n of control = 35). Synbiotics and dietary intervention significantly reduced Faecal calprotectin level after six months (110.5 ± 75.9-44.7 ± 49.3 ɥg/g,  < 0.001), and mean changes were statistically significant in comparison with control group. However, intervention did not elicit any change in the anthropometric measurements.

Conclusion: Synbiotics supplementation and adherence to an anti-inflammatory-antioxidant-rich diet reduced intestinal inflammation and improved clinical manifestations in progressive forms of MS. Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials identifier: IRCT20141108019853N7..