ω-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids on the Prognosis of Multiple Sclerosis: The Effect of Eicosapentaenoic acid

Abstract

The effect of nutrition and dietary supplements on the course of multiple sclerosis is a topic of great interest \rto both patients and clinicians. The influence of ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) on the development and \rcourse of multiple sclerosis (MS) has been under investigation. A number of small, uncontrolled clinical trials with \rfish oil (rich in eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; 20:5 ω-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6 ω-3) have indicated \ra possible beneficial effects of ω-3 PUFAs, but controlled trials have not been able to draw definitive conclusions. \rAmong ω-3 PUFAs, EPA has the most potent effect on myelinogenesis and inflammatory process, thus the conflicting \rresults could be due to the different mixtures of EPA and DHA contained in the various sources of fish oil. This review \rdiscusses on the possible role of EPA in demyelinating diseases.