Preventive factors for ALS
Protective factors found to prevent ALS.
Contents
Nutrition
Fruits and vegetables
"A higher consumption of all fruits and vegetables and fruit alone in the highest quartiles was associated with a statistically significantly reduced risk of ALS. Although not statistically significant, a beneficial association between intake of all vegetables, green and yellow vegetables and other vegetables and ALS was found. No statistically significant dose-response relationship was observed between intake of beta-carotene, vitamin C and vitamin E and the risk of ALS. ... Our findings suggest that higher intake of food rich in antioxidants such as fruit and vegetables confer protection against the development of ALS."[1]
Carotenoids
"A greater total major carotenoids intake was associated with a reduced risk of ALS (pooled, multivariate-adjusted RR for the highest to the lowest quintile = 0.75, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.61-0.91, p for trend = 0.004). Individually, higher dietary intakes of β-carotene and lutein were inversely associated with ALS risk. The pooled multivariate RRs comparing the highest to the lowest quintile for β-carotene and lutein were 0.85 (95% CI = 0.64-1.13, p for trend = 0.03) and 0.79 (95% CI = 0.64-0.96, p for trend = 0.01), respectively. Lycopene, β-cryptoxanthin, and vitamin C were not associated with reduced risk of ALS. ... Consumption of foods high in carotenoids may help prevent or delay onset of ALS." [2]
Vitamin E
"A high intake of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) and vitamin E was significantly associated with a reduced risk of developing ALS (PUFA: odds ratio (OR) = 0.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.2 to 0.7, p = 0.001; vitamin E: OR = 0.4, 95% CI = 0.2 to 0.7, p = 0.001). PUFA and vitamin E appeared to act synergistically, because in a combined analysis the trend OR for vitamin E was further reduced from 0.67 to 0.37 (p = 0.02), and that for PUFA from 0.60 to 0.26 (p = 0.005), with a significant interaction term (p = 0.03). ... A high intake of PUFAs and vitamin E is associated with a 50-60% decreased risk of developing ALS, and these nutrients appear to act synergistically."[3]
PUFAs (polyunsaturated fatty acids)
"A high intake of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) and vitamin E was significantly associated with a reduced risk of developing ALS (PUFA: odds ratio (OR) = 0.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.2 to 0.7, p = 0.001; vitamin E: OR = 0.4, 95% CI = 0.2 to 0.7, p = 0.001). PUFA and vitamin E appeared to act synergistically, because in a combined analysis the trend OR for vitamin E was further reduced from 0.67 to 0.37 (p = 0.02), and that for PUFA from 0.60 to 0.26 (p = 0.005), with a significant interaction term (p = 0.03). ... A high intake of PUFAs and vitamin E is associated with a 50-60% decreased risk of developing ALS, and these nutrients appear to act synergistically."[3]
Alcohol (ethyl alcohol)
Pharmaceuticals
References
- ↑ Okamoto et al.: Fruit and vegetable intake and risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in Japan. Neuroepidemiology 2009;32:251-6. PMID: 19209004. DOI. BACKGROUND: There has been little interest in the role of nutrition in the prevention of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We investigated the relationship between dietary intake of vegetables, fruit, and antioxidants and the risk of ALS in Japan. METHODS: Between 2000 and 2004, we recruited 153 ALS patients aged 18-81 years with disease duration of 3 years within the study period in accordance with El Escorial World Federation of Neurology criteria. Three hundred and six gender- and age-matched controls were randomly selected from the general population. Information on dietary factors was collected using a validated self-administered diet history questionnaire. RESULTS: A higher consumption of all fruits and vegetables and fruit alone in the highest quartiles was associated with a statistically significantly reduced risk of ALS. Although not statistically significant, a beneficial association between intake of all vegetables, green and yellow vegetables and other vegetables and ALS was found. No statistically significant dose-response relationship was observed between intake of beta-carotene, vitamin C and vitamin E and the risk of ALS. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that higher intake of food rich in antioxidants such as fruit and vegetables confer protection against the development of ALS.
- ↑ Fitzgerald et al.: Intakes of vitamin C and carotenoids and risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: pooled results from 5 cohort studies. Ann. Neurol. 2013;73:236-45. PMID: 23362045. DOI. OBJECTIVE: Prior research has suggested the possible role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Prospective data examining dietary antioxidants such carotenoids and vitamin C are limited. METHODS: Risk of ALS associated with carotenoid and vitamin C intake was investigated in 5 prospective cohorts: the National Institutes of Health-Association of American Retired Persons Diet and Health Study, the Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort, the Multiethnic Cohort, the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS), and the Nurses Health Study (NHS). ALS deaths were documented using the National Death Index, and confirmed nonfatal ALS cases were included from HPFS and NHS. A total of 1,153 ALS deaths occurred among 1,100,910 participants (562,942 men; 537,968 women). Participants were categorized into cohort-specific quintiles of intake for dietary variables. We applied Cox proportional hazards regression to calculate cohort-specific risk ratios (RRs), and pooled results using random-effects methods. RESULTS: A greater total major carotenoids intake was associated with a reduced risk of ALS (pooled, multivariate-adjusted RR for the highest to the lowest quintile = 0.75, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.61-0.91, p for trend = 0.004). Individually, higher dietary intakes of β-carotene and lutein were inversely associated with ALS risk. The pooled multivariate RRs comparing the highest to the lowest quintile for β-carotene and lutein were 0.85 (95% CI = 0.64-1.13, p for trend = 0.03) and 0.79 (95% CI = 0.64-0.96, p for trend = 0.01), respectively. Lycopene, β-cryptoxanthin, and vitamin C were not associated with reduced risk of ALS. INTERPRETATION: Consumption of foods high in carotenoids may help prevent or delay onset of ALS.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Veldink et al.: Intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E reduces the risk of developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. 2007;78:367-71. PMID: 16648143. DOI. BACKGROUND: To assess whether the premorbid dietary intake of fatty acids, cholesterol, glutamate or antioxidants was associated with the risk of developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). METHODS: Patients referred to our clinic during 2001-2002, who had definite, probable or possible ALS according to El Escorial criteria, without a familial history of ALS, were asked to participate in a case-control study (132 patients and 220 healthy controls). A food-frequency questionnaire was used to assess dietary intake for the nutrients of interest. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed with adjustment for confounding factors (sex, age, level of education, energy intake, body mass index and smoking). RESULTS: A high intake of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) and vitamin E was significantly associated with a reduced risk of developing ALS (PUFA: odds ratio (OR) = 0.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.2 to 0.7, p = 0.001; vitamin E: OR = 0.4, 95% CI = 0.2 to 0.7, p = 0.001). PUFA and vitamin E appeared to act synergistically, because in a combined analysis the trend OR for vitamin E was further reduced from 0.67 to 0.37 (p = 0.02), and that for PUFA from 0.60 to 0.26 (p = 0.005), with a significant interaction term (p = 0.03). The intake of flavonols, lycopene, vitamin C, vitamin B2, glutamate, calcium or phytoestrogens was not associated with the risk of developing ALS. CONCLUSION: A high intake of PUFAs and vitamin E is associated with a 50-60% decreased risk of developing ALS, and these nutrients appear to act synergistically.
