What is Multiple Sclerosis?
Neurons (cells that make up the brain and nervous system) have a protective covering over the portion that propagates signals. This is called the myelin sheath. Multiple Sclerosis, or MS, is a neurodegenerative disease that results from the body’s immune system attacking it’s own neuron’s myelin sheath covering. This degradation forms scar tissue on the neurons which interrupt or prevent the transmission of nerve signals. This can cause a huge array of symptoms.
Multiple Sclerosis and Oxidative Stress
Reactive oxygen species, or ROS, in the body have been attributed to the pathogenesis of MS. ROS acts in two methods to affect Multiple Sclerosis. The first is that the side reactions of ROS can include demyelination, which can have additive effects of degradation of the myelin sheath. The second is that the oxidative stress formed by ROS weakens overall cellular health and antioxidant properties, which makes neurons more susceptible to immune attack.
Antioxidants and Multiple Sclerosis
Because demyelination (the underlying cause of MS) is propagated by oxidative stress and a low amount of antioxidants in the brain, an increase in consumption of antioxidants can have therapeutic effects on MS. Antioxidants will neutralize ROS and will promote general neuronal health that will help to fight demyelination.
A recent study by Stettner et al. has investigated the therapeutic properties of red wine extract and the remyelination of neurons. Red wine extract and Resveratrol supplements (the active antioxidant in red wine extract) were administered to neuronal cells, showing increased activity of neuroprotective enzymes and an overall increase in myelin density. Red wine extract is beneficial for treatment of MS for these reasons.
OptiHealth Products’ Super Antioxidant Isotonic Formula OPCXtra, contains 30 mg of Red Wine Extract in each serving.