Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system, resulting in the degradation of the myelin sheath. Diet especially fish oils and omega-3 has been found to play an important role in MS.

To find evidence for the effect of omega-3 fatty acids (EPA, DPA and DHA) on the progression of MS in adults, researchers conducted a literature search in PubMed, Oxford, Cochrane, Embase, International pharmaceutical abstract, PsychINFO and clinical trials government for literature search and collation. The inclusions were studies performed on humans both male and female, aged 18 years at minimum, diagnosed with MS according to McDonald 2010 criteria. Otherwise, all studies were excluded (as shown in the figure below).

Overall, studies have demonstrated the benefits of fish oil and omega-3 fatty acid supplementation in improving the quality of life of patients with multiple sclerosis. These effects are attributed to their beneficial effects on inflammatory markers, glutathione reductase, reducing relapse rates and achieving a balanced ratio of omega-6 to omega-3.

AlAmmar, W. A., Albeesh, F. H., Ibrahim, L. M., Algindan, Y. Y., Yamani, L. Z., & Khattab, R. Y. (2021). Effect of omega-3 fatty acids and fish oil supplementation on multiple sclerosis: a systematic review. Nutritional Neuroscience, 24(7), 569-579. [Link]