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Increased consumption of ultra-processed meals (UPFs) might exacerbate illness exercise in early a number of sclerosis (MS), in accordance with new analysis offered on the forty first Congress of the European Committee for Therapy and Analysis in A number of Sclerosis (ECTRIMS 2025).
Researchers discovered that elevated UPF consumption was linked to extra frequent relapses and larger MRI-detected lesion exercise, highlighting the potential position of weight loss program as a complementary technique in illness administration.
The examine, led by Dr. Gloria Dalla Costa, analyzed knowledge from 451 sufferers with clinically remoted syndrome—the primary scientific presentation of MS—who have been enrolled within the BENEFIT trial and adopted for as much as 5 years.
A beforehand validated metabolomic signature of UPF consumption, comprising 39 plasma metabolites developed by Harvard colleagues, was utilized to baseline plasma samples to calculate particular person UPF scores.
Whereas UPF scores weren’t related to conversion to clinically particular MS, increased scores at baseline have been linked to larger T1 hypointense lesion quantity, indicative of extra extreme tissue injury, and decrease neurological operate scores.
Over the five-year follow-up, members within the highest UPF quartile skilled roughly 30% extra relapses than these within the lowest quartile.
By two years, in addition they had the next charge of recent energetic lesions, representing ongoing irritation, and a bigger enhance in T2 lesion quantity, a marker of accumulating tissue adjustments. These associations remained important after adjustment for age, intercourse, therapy allocation, baseline illness burden, BMI, vitamin D, and smoking.
“This pattern suggests ultra-processed foods act as a chronic inflammatory accelerant rather than a disease trigger, amplifying existing inflammatory processes in MS rather than determining whether someone develops the disease in the first place,” stated Dr. Dalla Costa.
“The biological mechanisms behind this effect may involve disruption of the gut barrier by additives such as emulsifiers and preservatives, which can allow bacterial endotoxins to enter the bloodstream and trigger immune activation that reaches the brain,” she defined.
“Elevated ceramides and modified lipids suggest UPF consumption may also alter membrane composition, making myelin—the insulating layer that forms around nerves—and the cells that produce it more vulnerable to autoimmune attack.”
“In addition, metabolic stress signatures such as elevated C4-OH carnitine point to impaired cellular energy production, limiting the brain’s ability to withstand and repair damage during inflammatory episodes. Overall, our findings suggest UPF consumption creates a cascade of biological disruptions that amplify MS inflammatory activity.”
Discussing the scientific implications of the findings, Dr. Dalla Costa stated, “I would recommend UPF reduction as a valuable supporting strategy for early MS management. Similar to vitamin D supplementation or smoking cessation advice, this is not about replacing established therapies, but about complementing them. It’s a low-risk, potentially high-benefit intervention.”
Trying forward, the staff plans to duplicate these ends in different MS cohorts, combine microbiome evaluation, and design intervention research.
“We are finalizing a comprehensive manuscript which will provide the evidence base needed to inform clinical practice guidelines and establish the foundation for future dietary intervention studies,” Dr. Dalla Costa concludes.
Extra data:
Dalla Costa G. Affiliation of Extremely-Processed Meals Consumption with Elevated MS Illness Exercise: Findings from the BENEFIT Trial. Offered at ECTRIMS 2025, Barcelona, Spain.
Supplied by
European Committee for Therapy and Analysis in A number of Sclerosis
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Extremely-processed meals linked to heightened illness exercise in early a number of sclerosis (2025, September 24)
retrieved 24 September 2025
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