MIND Diet for Multiple Sclerosis

Overseen By Claire E Wigley, Bsc, BSPH

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Disqualifiers: Alzheimer's, Stroke, Cancer, others

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 3

100 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores how a MIND diet, which combines elements of the Mediterranean and DASH diets, might help people with multiple sclerosis (MS) improve brain health and manage symptoms. Participants will either adopt this new diet or continue their usual eating habits for a year. Those with MS who follow a typical diet might be a good fit. Participants will provide blood and stool samples and complete questionnaires and in-person assessments to help researchers gather data. As an unphased trial, this study offers a unique opportunity to contribute to groundbreaking research that could enhance dietary recommendations for MS patients.

Do I have to stop taking my current medications for the trial?

The trial does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It seems focused on diet changes, so you may not need to change your medications, but it's best to confirm with the study team.

Is there any evidence suggesting that this trial's treatments are likely to be safe?

Research has shown that the MIND diet, which combines elements of the Mediterranean and DASH diets, is generally easy to follow. Studies have found that this diet can improve brain health and may help manage symptoms in people with multiple sclerosis (MS).

One study found that adhering to the MIND diet was linked to a lower risk of developing MS. Another study suggested that this diet can help treat MS by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress. These findings indicate the diet is safe for people to follow.

Additionally, the Mediterranean diet, similar to the MIND diet, has proven effective and safe for MS patients, offering benefits without major side effects.

Overall, the MIND diet appears to be a safe choice for those considering dietary changes to help manage MS symptoms. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Unlike the standard treatments for multiple sclerosis, which often include medications like interferons or monoclonal antibodies, the MIND Diet offers a non-pharmacological approach centered on nutrition. The MIND Diet combines elements of the Mediterranean and DASH diets, emphasizing brain-healthy foods like leafy greens, berries, and nuts. Researchers are excited about this dietary approach because it might reduce inflammation and support brain health, potentially slowing disease progression without the side effects associated with conventional drugs. This dietary intervention could empower patients with a manageable lifestyle change that complements existing therapies.

What evidence suggests that the MIND Diet could be effective for multiple sclerosis?

Research suggests that the MIND diet might benefit people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). One study found that individuals who followed the MIND diet had about a 90% lower chance of developing MS. Another study showed that adherence to the MIND diet improved health scores from low to good in MS patients. Additionally, those who closely followed the MIND diet had larger thalamic volumes, a brain region important for processing information. This trial will evaluate the effects of the MIND diet on MS symptoms, with participants in the intervention arm adhering to the MIND diet for one year. These findings indicate that the MIND diet could support brain health and possibly reduce MS symptoms. ^{1 3 6 7 8}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Ilana B Katz Sand, MD

Principal Investigator

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for individuals with Multiple Sclerosis who are interested in exploring how a specific diet, called the MIND diet, might affect their brain health and MS symptoms. Participants should be willing to either change their eating habits or continue their current diet for one year and provide blood & stool samples along with completing assessments.

Inclusion Criteria

I have been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, regardless of my treatment status.

MIND diet score of ≤8 at baseline

I am between 18 and 70 years old.

Exclusion Criteria

I do not have a serious illness that could affect my participation or the study results.

Pregnancy/planning during study period

I have been diagnosed with another serious brain condition, like Alzheimer's or had a stroke.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Baseline Assessment

Participants complete baseline assessments including blood and stool samples, online questionnaires, and functional & cognitive assessments

1 visit

1 visit (in-person)

Dietary Intervention

Participants in the intervention arm follow the MIND diet for one year with diet-related education and support, while control arm participants continue their current diet

12 months

Weekly virtual meetings for the first month, then monthly

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment, with assessments at 6 and 12 months

6 months

2 visits (in-person) at 6 and 12 months

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• MIND Diet

Trial Overview The study tests the effects of the MIND Diet on people with MS by comparing two groups: one follows the MIND Diet with support programs, while the other continues their usual diet but receives unrelated MS education. The trial lasts one year and includes online questionnaires and three in-person evaluations.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: MIND Diet Experimental Treatment 2 Interventions

Participants randomized to the intervention arm will change their dietary patterns to adhere to the MIND diet for one year after randomization.

Group II: Continue Diet Placebo Group 1 Intervention

Participants randomized to the control arm will continue their current dietary habits, without major changes, for one year after randomization. Participants will not receive diet education in small group.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Lead Sponsor

Trials

933

Recruited

579,000+

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8857348/

MIND Diet Adherence Might be Associated with a Reduced ... To put it another way, individuals in the third tertile of MIND scores had an estimated 90% lower odds of developing MS, whereas individuals in ...

2. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12358944/

Evaluation of the Relationship Between Dietary Inflammatory ... The mean MIND diet score in the MS group (6.3 ± 1.90) was significantly lower (p < 0.05) compared to the control group (6.9 ± 1.71). The mean ...

3. mdpi.com mdpi.com/1422-0067/25/18/10009

MIND Diet Impact on Multiple Sclerosis Patients After the nutritional intervention, adherence to the MIND diet improved significantly, increasing from low (7.61 ± 1.88) to good (12.98 ± 1.22) ...

4. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07057999

Investigation of the Effect of the MIND Diet on Disease ... Adherence to the MIND diet was associated with a reduced risk of MS. ... In a cross-sectional study, the MIND diet compliance score was positively associated with ...

5. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211034821002984

Dietary factors and MRI metrics in early Multiple Sclerosis MIND diet score was associated with thalamic volume; individuals in the highest quartile of MIND diet scores had greater thalamic volumes versus those in the ...

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12086631/

From prevention to management: Exploring the impact of diet ... Growing evidence suggests that dietary interventions may influence MS progression and symptom management by modulating inflammation, oxidative stress, and gut ...

7. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S221103482500481X

Review article Efficacy and safety of the Mediterranean diet ... The study outcomes suggest that the Mediterranean diet can effectively treat patients with multiple sclerosis, yielding beneficial effects. The ...

8. mdpi.com mdpi.com/2072-6643/17/21/3326

Mediterranean and MIND Dietary Patterns and Cognitive ... Overall, these results suggest that greater alignment with Mediterranean and MIND diets may be associated with better cognitive performance in people living ...