A randomized study conducted among patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) has shown that a Paleolithic elimination diet (Wahls diet) and a low-saturated fat diet (Swank diet) are tied to improved cognition, among other clinical outcomes.

In the study, people who followed a Wahls diet and those who followed a Swank diet had a significant and unique improvement in the measures of cognitive dysfunction, fatigue, and quality of life. The findings, presented at the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) 2021 annual meeting, come from a secondary analysis of a randomized trial published in the Multiple Sclerosis Journal – Experimental, Translational and Clinical (MSJ-ETC). The primary analysis had revealed the Wahls and Swank diets significantly improved the outcomes on the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS), and other measures in RRMS patients.

In the new trial, researchers evaluated the effects of the diets in perceived fatigue and cognitive dysfunction. After a 12-week run-in period with support and education, participants were randomized to either the Swank or Wahls diet. The results at 12 and 24 weeks showed significant improvements from baseline in fatigue and cognitive function, as measured by the Fatigue Scale for Motor and Cognitive Function (FSMC). The scores were −5.7 and −9.0, respectively, for the Swank diet group and −9.3 and −14.9 for the Wahls diet group… (Medscape)