Dietary Fiber and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Results From 5 Large Cohort Studies

Abstract

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fast-progressing neurodegenerative disease with a median survival time from diagnosis of 1.5-3 years. The cause of ALS is unknown, but inflammation may play a role. Fiber has been shown to lower inflammatory markers, and a high fiber intake was associated with a lower risk of ALS in a case-control study; however, prospective studies are lacking. We explored the relation between dietary intake of fiber and the risk of ALS in 5 large prospective cohort studies comprising over 1,050,000 US citizens who contributed 1,133 ALS cases during a mean of 15 years of follow-up (1980-2008). Cox proportional hazards models were used within each cohort, and cohort-specific estimates were subsequently pooled using a random-effects model. We found that intakes of total fiber, cereal fiber, vegetable fiber, and fruit fiber were not associated with ALS risk when comparing the highest quintile of intake with the lowest (for total fiber, pooled multivariable relative risk (RR) = 0.99, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.80, 1.24; for cereal fiber, RR = 1.13, 95% CI: 0.94, 1.37; for vegetable fiber, RR = 0.97, 95% CI: 0.77, 1.23; and for fruit fiber, RR = 1.05, 95% CI: 0.86, 1.29). These findings do not support the hypothesis that fiber intake is a major determinant of ALS risk.

Exploring targets and therapies for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: current insights into dietary interventions

“… 67 Comparing outcomes from five large cohort studies, no change in ALS risk relative to dietary fiber intake was observed. 68 Of interest, a diet rich in antioxidant nutrients, carotenoids and fiber, and vegetables is associated with improved function in ALS patients. 69 Whether improved function was due to increased fiber intake was not specifically addressed.…”

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Diet Review

“…Although there are foods that seem to predispose to the onset of ALS due to the release of ROS, there are also foods and compounds that might be able to prevent the disease and slowing its course [ 52 , 53 ].…”

Ingesta nutricional en pacientes afectados de esclerosis lateral amiotrófica una consulta ambulatoria de nutrición artificial en Portugal

“…Sin embargo, en este análisis se ha observado una ingesta de fibra deficiente lo que se podría relacionar con que el 84,62% de los pacientes (11 sujetos) padecían constipación. Resultados similares se han obtenido en otros estudios que determinaron una asociación inversamente proporcional entre la ingesta de fibra dietética y el riesgo de ELA 32 . Otra investigación que analizó la ingesta de fibra en 272 pacientes con ELA, determinó una relación negativa entre su consumo y factores inflamatorios en el líquido cefalorraquídeo.…”