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MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SPECIFIC ABNORMALITIES IN GREATER DETAIL BLOOD BRAIN BARRIER / ABNORMAL CLOTTING Normal brain activity requires a controlled chemical environment. Even the blood supply to the brain is separated from the brain by a barrier, the "blood-brain" barrier. The blood-brain barrier keeps most components of the blood from actually entering the brain brain cells. If the blood-brain barrier is damaged, chemicals that do not belong in the brain may be able to enter anyway and cause damage. This could include viruses bacteria and toxins from the environment. Patients with MS often have damage to the blood brain barrier. Platelets are small components of the blood that produce a clot. In MS patients the platelets are "extra-sticky" and clump together more easily. This causes tiny clots that damage the blood-brain barrier. A similar process may occur inside the brain as well. FREE-RADICAL DAMAGE TO MYELIN AND NERVES The brain and nerves contain large amounts of fat, especially the Essential Fatty Acids elsewhere. These fats form the myelin and nerves and are very easily damaged, even under normal circumstances. Normally the brain is able to protect itself from this damage. However, many patients with MS do not have this normal chemical ability. Therefore the brain and myelin are even more susceptible to damage than they would be otherwise. Free Radicals and Antioxidants VITAMINS Vitamin B12 is critical for normal nerve growth and function. Many patients with MS can not use B12 normally in their nerves, and others do not absorb it from the intestine normally. Alcohol and Caffeine increase the requirements for B12 as do Estrogen and Birth Control Pills. B12 deficiency can damage the nervous system and the immune system. Deficiency may also allow dangerously high levels of Homocysteine to develop in the blood and this has been shown to cause heart disease. Many MS patients are found to have these high blood levels. No toxicity has been reported by taking B12, even in large amounts. However, it should be taken with Folic Acid and B6. These three work together and deficiency of one can lessen the effectiveness of the others. Only one particular form of B12 - Methylcobalamine - has been proven useful in patients with MS. ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS Essential Fatty Acids (EFA) are critical ingredients in many of the body's processes. Nerves and Myelin cannot form without them and deficiency can result in damage. EFA also reduce the stickiness of platelets (see above), help the immune system work normally and cut down on inflammation. All these factors are beneficial in MS. Patients with MS have been shown to have low levels of Essential Fatty Acids in their blood and spinal fluid. Many also have a problem absorbing EFA from their food so even if they are eating the proper amounts they may still become deficient. Eating saturated fat (meat products) and fried foods decreases the absorption of Essential Fatty Acids as well. IMMUNE SYSTEM MS patients have abnormal immune systems. The exact reason is unknown, but this seems to cause many of the problems they experience. As mentioned above, MS is considered an "auto-immune" disease One particular problem results from proteins in the blood called "Circulating Immune Complexes." These proteins form because of incomplete digestion of food, a problem that effects many patients with MS. The use of digestive enzymes can decrease the amount of Immune Complexes in the blood and often this seems to lessen the symptoms. Most treatments for MS are aimed at restoring the immune system to more normal activity. INFLAMMATION Areas of demyelinization also show a lot of inflammation. This results at least in part from the auto-immune damage to the myelin. Decreasing the inflammation present in the myelin may allow it to begin repairing itself. |
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