June 30 (UPI) -- A study by Oregon Health & Science University suggests the over-the-counter antioxidant lipoic acid may improve the quality of life for multiple sclerosis patients.
MS is a chronic condition in which the sheath covering nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cord become damaged, causing the blocking or slowing of electrical signals from the brain to the eyes, muscles and other body parts. Approximately 2.3 million people have MS worldwide.
For the pilot study, which was published June 28 in Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation, 51 MS patients were enrolled in a two-year clinical trial.
Of the 51, 27 participants were given a 1,200 mg daily dose of lipoic acid, while 24 were given a placebo.
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Results revealed a 68 percent improvement in slowing the rate of whole brain atrophy in patients with secondary progressive MS compared to those on the placebo.
"These are high doses," Dr. Rebecca Spain, an assistant professor of neurology in the OHSU School of Medicine, said in a press release. "And while it seems safe, we won't know whether it actually improves the lives of people with MS until we can replicate the results in the pilot study through a much bigger clinical trial. Fortunately, we're going to be able to answer that question with the participation of kind volunteers."
The study also revealed improved walking times and fewer falls in patients who took the daily dose of lipoic acid compared to placebo.
The findings from the pilot study will be used to design the expanded multi-site clinical trial, which will start in late 2017 in Portland and other sites.
