Two studies have found that MS (multiple sclerosis) seems to occur less frequently in people who consume coffee regularly. MS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that is associated with chronic inflammation.
Dr. Ellen Mowry reported about the work she and her colleagues had done at the American Academy of Neurology’s 67th Annual Meeting in Washington, DC April 18 to 25, 2015. They looked at data of two studies that had been done in Sweden and the US. The Swedish study involved 1,629 people with MS and 2,807 controls. The US study included 584 patients with MS and 581 controls. The investigators determined the amount of coffee consumed 1, 5 or 10 years before the diagnosis of MS and also in the controls. In the Swedish study they found that there was a 33% reduction of MS, if the person had consumed at least 6 cups of coffee per day in the year before the diagnosis and compared to those who did not consume coffee at the same point in time.
In the US study 4 cups of coffee or more showed similar MS protecting benefits. High coffee intake 5 or 10 years prior to the MS diagnosis showed significant protection from MS.
The cause of MS is not yet clear, but various contributing factors have been identified. Vitamin D3 deficiency is contributing to the probability of getting MS. Chronic viruses like Epstein Barr virus and herpes virus 6 have been implicated in setting up an autoimmune disease where certain immune cells attack the myelin sheath.
This sets up a chronic inflammatory condition, which makes MS worse the stronger the inflammatory condition is. Anti-inflammatory measures like vitamin D3 and omega-3 fatty acids help in treating this as well. I personally would not suggest that you now pump up your coffee consumption to 6 cups a day. But it certainly means that coffee is beneficial and not “harmful” as some warning voices insist.
Coffee Protects Against MS
If you cannot tolerate the caffeine, you can always switch to decaffeinated coffee. An anti-inflammatory diet including vegetables and fruit as well as coffee (if you like) may be what is needed to prevent MS, but it will take years to sort out the multiple factors involved in MS.
More info about MS: https://nethealthbook.com/neurology-neurological-disease/multiple-sclerosis/
