The effect of ginger (Zingiber officinale) supplementation on clinical, biochemical, and anthropometric parameters in patients with multiple sclerosis: a double-blind randomized controlled trial

Nutritional interventional studies in patients with multiple sclerosis: a scoping review of the current clinical evidence

A good nutritional status appears to slow down disease progression and ameliorate symptoms' intensity in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Up to date, there are several interventional studies, which have explored the potential beneficial effects of specific dietary patterns as well as specific bioactive nutrients against disease progression and symptomatology of MS patients. This is a thorough, scoping review, which aims to critically summarize and scrutinize the currently available clinical evidence of the potential beneficial effects of nutritional interventional studies against MS progression and symptomatology. This review was conducted to systematically map the research done in this area, as well as to identify gaps in knowledge. For this purpose, we thoroughly explored the most accurate scientific web databases, e.g., PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar to achieve the most relevant clinical human studies applying effective and characteristic keywords. There are currently several dietary patterns and specific bioactive nutrients that show promising results by slowing down disease progression and by improving MS symptoms. However, there are also certain conflicting results, while most of the existing studies enrolled a small number of MS patients. Nutritional interventions may exert substantial protective effects against MS progression and symptomatology. However, large, long-term, randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trials with a prospective design are strongly recommended to delineate whether such nutritional intervention may attenuate disease progression, and improve symptomatology in MS patients.

The effects of ginger supplementation on common gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms affect more than 80% of individuals with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). Ginger is widely known for its GI relieving properties. Therefore, we investigated the effect of ginger supplementation on common GI symptoms in RRMS patients.

METHODS

This study was a 12-week double-blind parallel randomized controlled trial with a 3-week run-in period. The intervention (n = 26) and control (n = 26) groups received 500 mg ginger and placebo (as corn) supplements 3 times a day along with main meals, respectively. At the beginning and end of the trial, the frequency and severity of constipation, dysphagia, abdominal pain, diarrhea, bloating, belching, flatulence, heartburn, anorexia, and nausea were assessed using the visual analogue scale ranging from 0 to 100 mm. Totally, 49 participants completed the study. However, data analysis was performed on all 52 participants based on the intention-to-treat principle.

RESULTS

In comparison with placebo, ginger supplementation resulted in significant or near-significant reductions in the frequency (-23.63 ± 5.36 vs. 14.81 ± 2.78, P < 0.001) and severity (-24.15 ± 5.10 vs. 11.39 ± 3.23, P < 0.001) of constipation, the frequency (-12.41 ± 3.75 vs. 3.75 ± 1.82, P < 0.001) and severity (-13.43 ± 4.91 vs. 6.88 ± 2.69, P = 0.001) of nausea, the frequency (-9.31 ± 4.44 vs. 1.56 ± 4.05, P = 0.098) and severity (-11.57 ± 5.09 vs. 3.97 ± 3.99, P = 0.047) of bloating, and the severity of abdominal pain (-5.69 ± 3.66 vs. 3.43 ± 3.26, P = 0.069).

CONCLUSION

Ginger consumption can improve constipation, nausea, bloating, and abdominal pain in patients with RRMS.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This trial was prospectively registered at the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials ( www.irct.ir ) under the registration number IRCT20180818040827N3 on 06/10/2021.