Anna De Freitas

9/3/2019 Health and Food: Does a Healthy Diet Help Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Disease? Only you can see this message This story is eligible to earn money through the Partner Program. It may be shown as part of the metered paywall. Learn more Health and Food: Does a Healthy Diet Help Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Disease? A recent study by the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Multicenter Cohort Study of Oxidative Stress Study Group, published in the JAMA Neurology, investigated the e ects of a diet consisting of fruits and vegetables to improve the respiratory function and the quality of life of patients with ALS Anna DeFreitas, MD Jul 25 · 3 min read https://medium.com/koinonia/health-and-food-does-a-healthy-diet-help-patients-with-amyotrophic-lateral-sclerosis-disease-56062b292001 1/4 9/3/2019 Health and Food: Does a Healthy Diet Help Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Disease? Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a rare neurological disorder that affects the nerve cells which control voluntary muscle movement, like walking, swallowing, and talking. The ALS is a progressive disease that begins with muscle cramps, muscle weakness, slurred and nasal speech, difficulty to swallowing and chewing, and eventually leads to muscle atrophy, paralysis, and respiratory failure. The average survival time for patients with ALS ranges from 20 to 48 months, but 10% to 20% of patients survive longer than 10 years. According to the authors of the JAMA Neurology study, there is a growing interest in the role nutrition and environmental factors play in the development and progression of the disease. Some previous studies showed that the risk to ALS increases with a diet rich on carbohydrates, glutamate, and fat, and low intake of vitamins, fruits and vegetables. Risk of ALS is correlated with body mass index (BMI), meaning obese persons have an increased danger to develop the disease. In order to study the relation of nutrition in the progression of ALS, the authors analyzed 302 patients in the United States, with average age about 63 years, and with a history of ALS symptoms of 18 months or less. The researchers measured the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis function and respiratory function, and found that higher intakes of antioxidants and carotenes from vegetables were associated with higher ALS function and respiratory function. https://medium.com/koinonia/health-and-food-does-a-healthy-diet-help-patients-with-amyotrophic-lateral-sclerosis-disease-56062b292001 2/4 9/3/2019 Health and Food: Does a Healthy Diet Help Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Disease? Fruits and vegetables high in antioxidants and carotenes benefit ALS patients “Our results indicate that greater intakes of antioxidant nutrients and foods high in carotenoids appear to be associated with better function at study entry,” the authors wrote. The explanation to the connection of diet and ALS is that oxidative stress is associated with the development and progression of ALS. Oxidative stress is an imbalance between the production of free radicals and the ability of the body to block their harmful effects through the production of antioxidants. There is some evidence that food may increase or decrease oxidative stress. Foods high in antioxidants are fiber from beans, vegetables, fruits, and grains. Food groups considered potentially good are whole grains, milk, yogurt, fruits, legumes, eggs, fish, soy foods, protein from nuts and seeds, beneficial oils (from fish, nuts, avocado, olives, and dressing), deep yellow, orange, and dark green vegetables, potatoes, and tomatoes. Foods rich in beta carotene are sweet potatoes, pumpkin, carrots, dark leafy greens, such as kale and spinach, romaine lettuce, squash, cantaloupe, red and yellow peppers, apricots, broccoli, among others. The conclusion of the study is that nutritional care of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis should include the promotion of foods high in antioxidants and carotenes, including fruits and vegetables. References 1. Nieves JW, Gennings C, Factor-Litvak P, et al. Association Between Dietary Intake and Function in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. JAMA Neurol. 2016;73(12):-. doi:10.1001/jamaneurol-. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Fact Sheet. (2018, August 09). Retrieved from: https://medium.com/koinonia/health-and-food-does-a-healthy-diet-help-patients-with-amyotrophic-lateral-sclerosis-disease-56062b292001 3/4 9/3/2019 Health and Food: Does a Healthy Diet Help Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Disease? https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/FactSheets/Amyotrophic-Lateral-Sclerosis-ALS-Fact-Sheet. This story is published in Koinonia — stories by Christians to encourage, entertain, and empower you in your faith, food, fitness, family and fun. We are a Smedian Publication. Find out about us and how to write for us. Nutrition ALS Oxidative Stress Health Fruits And Vegetables About Help https://medium.com/koinonia/health-and-food-does-a-healthy-diet-help-patients-with-amyotrophic-lateral-sclerosis-disease-56062b292001 Legal 4/4