Impact of the Swank and Wahls elimination dietary interventions on fatigue and quality of life in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: The WAVES randomized parallel-arm clinical trial

• Published in: Multiple sclerosis journal - experimental, translational and clinical Vol. 7; no. 3; p. 20552173211035399
• Main Authors: Wahls, Terry L, Titcomb, Tyler J, Bisht, Babita, Eyck, Patrick Ten, Rubenstein, Linda M, Carr, Lucas J, Darling, Warren G, Hoth, Karin F, Kamholz, John, Snetselaar, Linda G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01-07-2021; Sage Publications Ltd
• Subjects: Clinical trials; Diet; Fatigue; Multiple sclerosis; Original; Quality of life; 6-minute walk test; paleolithic diet; Multiple sclerosis; fatigue; quality of life; low-saturated fat diet
• ISSN: 2055-2173; 2055-2173
• DOI: 10.1177/20552173211035399

Objective
To compare the effect of the modified Paleolithic elimination (Wahls) and low-saturated fat (Swank) diets in relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS).
Methods
Individuals (n = 87) with RRMS were randomized to the Swank or Wahls diets in a parallel group clinical trial consisting of four timepoints: 1) run-in, 2) baseline, 3) 12-weeks, and 4) 24-weeks.
Results
77 participants completed 12 weeks and 72 completed 24 weeks. The 12-week change from baseline in fatigue was -0.94 ± 0.18 (FSS) and -9.87 ± 1.93 (MFIS; both p < 0.0001) for Swank, and -0.71 ± 0.24 (FSS; p = 0.004) and -14.41 ± 2.22 (MFIS; p ≤ 0.0001) for Wahls. Physical MSQoL scores improved by 6.04 ± 2.18 (p = 0.006) for Swank and by 14.5 ± 2.63 (p < 0.0001) for Wahls. Mental MSQoL scores improved by 11.3 ± at 2.79 (p < 0.0001) for Wahls while the Swank did not change (3.85 ± 2.63; p = 0.14). Neither group showed significant changes in 6-minute walking distance at 12 weeks. All outcomes were maintained or further improved at 24 weeks.
Conclusions
Both diets were associated with clinically meaningful within-group reductions in fatigue and improvements in QoL.
Trial Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT02914964