Multiple Sclerosis

[phillipo]

Hi Mark,
I have been progressing on SS and GOMAD for approximately three months. Thanks for that.
Recently I have come across a variety of literature, however, which implicates high levels of dairy consumption with an increased risk of multiple sclerosis. I know that most of these studies show correlation rather than causation and I don't want to press the panic button before I get all of the information. I was wondering if you are aware of any such link, or can provide more information on this topic to hopefully put my mind somewhat at rest.
Thanks Mark
http://content.karger.com/ProdukteDB...asp?Doi=110946

http://books.google.ca/books?id=FIRL...um=8&ct=result

http://www.mssociety.ca/en/research/PC010321.htm

[Mark Rippetoe]

I have not investigated this connection, but if there is a history of autoimmune disease in your family you might logically decide to omit milk from your diet.

[Tuesday]

From the third link:

Both Dr. Dosch and Dr. Paul O'Connor, director of the MS Clinic, St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto and member of the study group, cautioned that the results of the study were not substantiated enough to advise people to stop drinking milk, using dairy products or giving milk-based formula to babies. Genetic as well as environmental factors are suspected to be involved in both diseases. The investigators plan to use this information to try to identify people who may be at risk of developing either MS or type I diabetes and to attempt to develop prevention strategies.

Emphasis mine.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Or you might read more carefully than I did.

For MS prevention or intervention studies defining who may be at risk of developing MS (the "pre-MS" stage) will be more difficult since the familial incidence of MS is much lower than diabetes. The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada looks forward to the results of further investigations.

Basically, Type I diabetes and MS are both thought to be autoimmune diseases, with possible viral components. If you are looking for an excuse to stop drinking milk, this is as good an excuse as any. As I said, I have not studied this carefully. But humans have been drinking milk a very long time, and I get tired of having silly discussions about lactose intolerance, MS, witchcraft, etc. attributable to milk. There is a school of "thought" that attributes MS to aspartame consumption, because aspartame degrades through a formaldehyde stage in its metabolism. You'd think people would be brighter...