In MS, the slow destruction of myelin, the thin, protective coating that insulates nerve fibers in the brain and spine, can lead to numbness, muscle weakness and stiffness, impaired vision and coordination problems. The National MS Society says: "Symptoms of MS are unpredictable and vary from person to person and from time to time in the same person. For example, one person may experience abnormal fatigue, while another might have severe vision problems. A person with MS could have loss of balance and muscle coordination making walking difficult; another person with MS could have slurred speech, tremors, stiffness, and bladder problems. Even severe symptoms may disappear completely and the person will regain lost functions." Mitoxantrone is the fourth drug approved to treat MS in the US. The Food and Drug Administration approved mitoxantrone in 2000 to treat MS on the basis of studies conducted only in Europe, not the US. What cardiac complications arose during clinical trials? However, the researchers report that several cases of cardiac complications including heart failure have occurred in three mitoxantrone studies. Some of the conditions seen during these studies were:
The researchers recommend that a test of cardiac function, including LVEF measurement, should be conducted before starting the drug. Neurology September 2002;59:909-913
Using these types of drugs to treat MS is a guarantee for disaster. In no way, shape or form do these drugs treat the underlying cause of the disease, yet they have a significant potential for causing dangerous side effects.
MS is not a simple thing to put into remission. The chance of going into remission with conventional treatments is close to zero. The chances increase considerably when employing intelligent natural therapies.
The most basic and simple nutritional biochemistry approach is to make sure vitamin D levels are optimized.
One will certainly want to perform regular (every 2 months or so) vitamin D testing to confirm that one is in therapeutic levels and not in the toxic range.
Additionally, balancing the omega 6:3 ratio is also a profoundly important treatment principle.
Clearly optimizing insulin levels and following the eating plan would provide a sound foundation for optimizing healing in MS.
Addressing the emotional wounding is nearly always a major issue in those with MS. It is very clear that antidepressants and traditional cognitively based therapies rarely treat the cause but bioenergetic rebalancing techniques like EFT can be profoundly helpful.
Other adjunctive approaches include:
MS is a very challenging problem to treat. There are no simple solutions. Usually mercury is a complicating factor. The mercury tends to impair the immune system and allow infections like Epstein Barr worsen the problem.
1. Elimination of most commercial milk and dairy can be highly effective . Studies have shown that cow's milk consumption is correlated with MS prevalence (Neuroepidemiology 1992;11:304-12, Neuroepidemiology 1993;12:15-27).
2. Calcium AEP - Although I don't know of any good studies on it, the late Dr. Nieper in Germany used it extensively in his clinic and Dr. Robert Atkins in New York City claims that 85% of his patients get positive results from it. Although there is an oral form available, most physicians use an IV administration. I have not tried it yet but might enter a clinical investigation with it in the near future.
3. Electromagnetic Stimulation of the Pineal Gland - There is a Dr. Reuven Sandyk in the NYC area who uses AC pulsed electromagnetic fields to stimulate the pineal gland and he seems to get some very good results, although the treatment is very expensive and must be done long-term. Due to the prohibitively expensive equipment, Dr. Sandyk's clinic is probably the only place to receive this treatment.
4. Alpha Lipoic Acid - A study from the Netherlands showed that Lipoic acid is a non-specific scavenger of Reactive Oxygen Species and decreased the phagocytosis of myelin by macrophages. Free radicals appear to play a regulatory role in the destruction of myelin (Journal of Neuroimmunology 1998 Dec 1;92:67-75)
5. Progesterone - Progesterone has actually been shown in animal studies to promote the formation of new myelin sheaths (Human Reproduction 2000 Jun;15 Suppl 1:1-13, J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 1999 Apr-Jun;69:97-107, Mult Scler 1997 Apr;3:105-12). I am not aware of any clinicians using progesterone the treat MS patients, but if any of my readers have any additional information on this, please contact us.
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