About 2.9 million people worldwide live with multiple sclerosis (MS), a condition where your immune system attacks the protective coating around your nerves.1 This leaves you feeling tired, makes walking tough and even blurs your vision. Here’s the surprising part: the tiny bacteria in your gut — those little helpers digesting your last snack — affect MS.
Your gut microbiome is like a busy city of bacteria. When it’s out of balance, it affects far more than just your stomach. Two new studies show this imbalance is linked to MS, hinting at new ways to spot or treat it. In this article, you’ll learn what these studies uncovered, how it connects to your health and simple steps to support your gut today.
Gut Bacteria Give Clues to Multiple Sclerosis Severity
In a study published in the journal PNAS, researchers gathered stool samples from people with MS and others without it.2 With special tools, they mapped out the bacteria living there — like taking a roll call of a tiny neighborhood.
They wanted to know: do certain bacteria show up more or less in people with MS? And does that connect to how bad their symptoms get? The researchers identified bacteria by their DNA, giving a clear picture of what’s living in the gut.
• What they found — People with MS had more of two bacteria types — Blautia and Akkermansia — than healthy people. The balance between Bifidobacterium and Akkermansia was lower in MS patients. The lower this balance, the worse their symptoms seemed to be. It’s like a seesaw: when one side dips too low, things go off-kilter.
• Testing it in mice — To double-check, the team tested this idea on mice. They gave healthy mice some Blautia from MS patients and watched what happened. Soon, the mice had less beneficial Bifidobacterium and more Akkermansia — just like in humans with MS. The mice also showed signs of inflammation, a key problem in MS. It’s like a test run: change the gut, and the body reacts in a way that mimics MS.
• Checking it worldwide — The scientists also joined a global study. After testing hundreds of people from places like the U.S., Europe and Asia, the pattern remained: a lower Bifidobacterium to Akkermansia ratio linked to worse MS across the board. This reveals a gut “fingerprint” doctors could use to predict MS progress or find new treatments.
How ‘Good’ Bacteria Turn Harmful in MS
You might think of gut bacteria as either good or bad, but it’s not that simple — especially in MS. Take Akkermansia, for example. This bacterium is usually a helpful resident in your gut, but in people with MS, it can become a troublemaker. But what makes Akkermansia switch from helpful to harmful?
• A tale of two bacteria — Both Bifidobacterium and Akkermansia play a role in maintaining your gut’s protective lining, made of a substance called mucin. Think of mucin as a security wall around your gut city. Bifidobacterium is like a responsible caretaker — it consumes some mucin but also produces more, keeping the wall strong. Akkermansia, on the other hand, only consumes mucin without giving back. Normally, this isn’t a problem.
This controlled consumption prevents the mucus layer from becoming too thick, which could be detrimental. Akkermansia’s activity helps maintain a balanced and healthy mucus barrier. But in MS, Bifidobacterium levels drop, often due to inflammation. Without enough Bifidobacterium, Akkermansia overconsumes mucin, weakening the gut’s protective wall.3 This leads to more inflammation, which makes MS symptoms worse.
• Why this matters — Understanding how “good” bacteria like Akkermansia turn harmful in MS highlights the delicate balance of your gut microbiome. It’s a reminder that keeping your gut bacteria in harmony is key to your overall health.
The Big Picture of Gut Changes in MS
In another paper, researchers reviewed 12 studies about MS and gut bacteria, all done after 2020.4 Instead of running new tests, they dug through existing studies to find patterns. Their question: do people with MS have a different gut microbiome compared to those without it?
• Bacteria out of balance — People with MS often had fewer helpful bacteria — like Bifidobacterium, Roseburia and Faecalibacterium — and more of others, like Akkermansia and Blautia. When your gut’s bacterial team is out of balance, it’s called dysbiosis, or unbalanced gut bacteria.
• Missing helpers and inflammation — The missing bacteria would normally make helpful compounds called short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), especially one called butyrate. SCFAs calm inflammation in your body. In MS patients, butyrate levels were lower, which lets inflammation flare up and attack your nerves.
• A clue to MS’s puzzle — This study doesn’t prove gut changes cause MS, but it’s a strong clue. The steady shifts in bacteria and fewer SCFAs like butyrate suggest your gut could play a role in the MS story. It also supports the idea that fixing your gut could ease symptoms or slow MS down.
Scientists think these gut clues could spark big changes. Picture a quick test checking your gut bacteria to catch MS early or see how it’s going. New treatments — like special probiotics — to boost good bacteria and quiet inflammation could also be on the horizon. It’s early, but the future looks bright.
Small Steps You Can Take
Research is already moving — teams are testing gut-based ideas in labs worldwide. It’s a hopeful step for anyone touched by MS. But you don’t have to wait. Start nurturing your gut now with these easy tips:
• Choose your carbs wisely — Carbs are key for giving your cells energy, especially since glucose is what your mitochondria (the powerhouses in your cells) love to use. To keep your gut happy, aim for about 200 to 350 grams of carbs a day if you’re an average adult — more if you’re super active. This step boosts your energy and supports your gut health, which makes a difference with MS symptoms.
Start slow with gentler options like white rice or whole fruits to let your gut adjust without causing trouble. If your gut health is compromised, too much fiber will only feed bad bacteria, making your symptoms worse. As your gut improves, add more veggies, whole grains or starches.
• Once your gut feels better, eat more fiber — Fiber is the primary fuel for your beneficial gut microbes, allowing them to produce SCFAs like butyrate that strengthen your gut barrier. Also eat more resistant starches like cooked-then-cooled potatoes or green bananas — they fuel butyrate production.
• Skip vegetable oils and processed foods — The modern diet is full of processed foods rich in vegetable oils that make it harder for your cells to produce energy, disrupting your gut bacteria. These oils — like the ones in fried foods, sauces and salad dressings — contain something called linoleic acid (LA), which acts like a poison to your mitochondria. Switching to healthy fats like grass fed butter or ghee keeps things running smoothly.
These small changes add up, giving your gut and body a fighting chance while science continues to explore the gut-MS connection. While MS often feels like a puzzle with missing pieces, your gut holds some answers. It’s not the full picture, but it’s a big start.
FAQs About Your Gut Microbiome and Multiple Sclerosis
Q: Could my gut bacteria help doctors understand or predict MS?
A: Research suggests that specific patterns in gut bacteria, such as the ratio between Bifidobacterium and Akkermansia, could serve as a “fingerprint” that doctors could use to predict how MS will progress or to help in the development of new treatments in the future.
Q: What are the best foods for your gut health?
A: If your gut is healthy, load up on fiber-rich picks like whole fruits and veggies — they feed your good bacteria. However, if your gut is currently struggling, start slow with gentler options like white rice and fruit.
Hold off on high-fiber foods initially, as too much fiber stirs up harmful toxins in an unhealthy gut. Once your gut feels better, increasing fiber intake helps your beneficial gut microbes produce short-chain fatty acids like butyrate, which strengthen your gut barrier.
Q: How can I boost my gut bacteria?
A: Aim for a daily intake of about 200 to 350 grams of healthy carbohydrates, as this provides energy for your cells and supports gut health. Start with gentler carbohydrate sources like white rice or whole fruits to allow your gut to adjust comfortably before gradually incorporating more vegetables, whole grains or starches.
Q: Why are short-chain fatty acids important for people with MS?
A: Short-chain fatty acids, particularly butyrate, act like peacekeepers in your body by helping to calm inflammation and strengthen your gut barrier. In individuals with MS, lower levels of butyrate have been observed, which allows inflammation to flare up and worsens the attack on nerves.
Q: How do vegetable oils and processed foods affect gut health in relation to MS?
A: Modern diets, often high in processed foods and vegetable oils, make it harder for your cells to produce energy and disrupt the balance of your gut bacteria. These oils contain linoleic acid, which negatively impacts mitochondria, the energy powerhouses of your cells, worsening issues related to MS.
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