Swank diet

Dr Swank

The Swank Diet is a low saturated fat diet for the management of multiple sclerosis developed by Dr. Roy L. Swank (1909-2008), which he introduced in 1948. Swank's research has been disputed due to methodological concerns while secondary sources suggest that diet interventions do not have any major effect on the disease.^[1]

The diet

The diet consists of:

1. Saturated fat should not exceed 15 grams per day
2. Unsaturated fat (oils) should be kept to 20-50 grams per day
3. No red meat for the first year; after that, a maximum of 3 oz. (85 grams) of red meat per week
4. Dairy products must contain 1% or less butterfat
5. No processed foods containing saturated fat
6. A good source of omega-3 (oily fish, cod liver oil, cod liver oil tablets, etc.) along with a multi-vitamin and mineral supplement are recommended daily
7. Wheat, gluten or dairy product quantities are not restricted. But foods which cause allergies or reactions to an MS sufferer should be avoided

Research

Swank's research on 144 patients over a 34-year period was published in The Lancet (1990). The study showed that those who followed the diet had not shown any significant deterioration of their condition over a 34-year period, while those that did not follow the diet did significantly deteriorate over the same period.^[2][3]

Swank's research has been disputed because it lacked double-blind testing. However, a new study (2011) on relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) is currently being conducted at the Oregon Health & Science University^[4]. Some very limited secondary sources suggest that diet interventions, such as supplements of Omega-6 fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids or vitamins do not have any major effect on the progression of the disease or number of relapses.^[1]

See also

• Diet (nutrition)
• Treatment of multiple sclerosis
• List of diets

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Farinotti M, Simi S, Di Pietrantonj C, et al (2007). "Dietary interventions for multiple sclerosis". Cochrane database of systematic reviews (Online) (1): CD004192. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD004192.pub2. PMID 17253500. 
2. ^ Swank RL, Dugan BB (July 1990). "Effect of low saturated fat diet in early and late cases of multiple sclerosis". Lancet 336 (8706): 37–9. doi:10.1016/0140-6736(90)91533-G. PMID 1973220. 
3. ^ Swank RL, Goodwin J (2003). "Review of MS patient survival on a Swank low saturated fat diet". Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.) 19 (2): 161–2. PMID 12591551.
4. ^ http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/research/centers-institutes/neurology/multiple-sclerosis-center/research/ms-clinical-trials.cfm

External links

• Swank MS Diet site
• Interview with Dr. Roy Swank, MD
• 1995 radio interview with Dr Swank
• National MS Society [1]
• Oregon Health & Science University[2]