Contents

What is MS?

Multiple Sclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS), the brain and the spinal cord. It is a malfunction of the immune system which leads to attacks against, and causes destruction of the myelin sheath (a fatty covering that insulates nerve cell fibres in the brain and spinal cord). The loss of myelin insulation degrades the nerve transmission ability. Thus a multitude of various neurological disabilities can be observed in patients affected by this disease depending on which nerves are damaged.

The most frequent symptoms are at more than 80%: disturbances of sensitivity, paralysis and spastic. Following with over 60% are disturbances of the bladder, intestinal peristalsis and eye sight. In Europe, north of the 46th degree of latitude, the MS, with an average of approximately 60 affected per 100.000 inhabitants, belongs to the most frequent neurological diseases.

The whole scale of disturbances caused by MS can be seen quite clearly in the so called Bronx-Scale, which allows functional disabilities to be recorded and assessed after a points system [1]:

Advantages of MS

MS has some advantages in comparison to other diseases.

For those patients affected by MS:

• The disease is not immediately critical in most cases.
• The MS caused disturbances are often - at least partially - reversible.
• Most MS symptoms can be efficiently self-recognized by the affected patients without special instruments and more often than not, in more detail than the doctors.

For doctors and therapists:

• Basic source of income - patients will always come again at regular intervals
• No nasty surprises or any other spectacular thing happens during the general run of treatment. On the other hand the disease does continue with varied symptoms which cannot be foreseen, thus it does not get too boring.
• Not much danger of giving the wrong treatment. The treatment options are quite clear at the moment.

For the pharmaceutical industry:

• Colossal business turnover with presumably relevantly high profits for interferons. Those responsible have probably got blisters on their fingers from counting money. From the economic point of view, interferon is a brilliant success. Each consumer ensures an annual turnover of approximately 15.000 Euro. As the progress of MS is only slowed down but not cured by this medicine, most patients will be consuming for a long time.

As one can see, MS has many positive aspects, although there is a certain amount of discomfort for those directly concerned.

Who wonders why, in a situation such as this, that no solutions have been found to cure this illness. Research seems to be done mainly on a microbiological level concerning the primary inflammation. Perhaps, on this level, there is the possibility of finding something similarly lucrative to the interferons that are momentarily in use. This seems to be a rather complicated way of trying to find the cause of MS. The rather meagre results that have been attained, confirm this impression.

Other attempts to find solutions for MS hardly find any interest. There are for example diverse epidemiological studies concerning MS, that open many other points of view. The Canadian geologist Dr. Ashton F. Embry (his son has MS) collected these studies [2] and tried to come to conclusions of how to treat MS (members.aol.com/pganzel/EMBRY.html). His aim was to identify the cause of MS and thus to improve or even cure the disease. His results should perhaps be more consequently followed up.

It is difficult to avoid the impression that only MS-patients have a real interest in curing their disease. How can it otherwise be possible, that such simple thoughts have not been followed up by professional research projects?

Is amalgam the cause?

One characteristic of MS seems to be ignored completely. MS only seems to have existed for less than the past 200 years. It was first described by Cruveilhier in 1835. A generally valid description of MS symptoms was made by Charcot in the year 1868. In 1904 the description was supplemented by Müller.

What happened at this period of time?

Shortly after 1800, for example, people in Europe first had their teeth filled with amalgam (http://www.amalgam.org), first in England and then in France. This rather exact chronological correspondence with the beginning of the MS disease could be a pure coincidence. However there are further indications that lead to amalgam.

Observations have been made that MS occurs more often in industrialized countries than in third-world countries [3]. Until now there is no commonly accepted explanation. Amalgam could fill this explanation gap quite easily.

Japan stands out between all of the industrialized states with a significantly lower MS frequency. What do they do differently? A possible explanation could be taken from a recently published information that green tea helps to prevent caries (see http://www.das-teebuch.de/005006.htm). Less caries, less tooth damage, less amalgam.

Until the 2nd World War there was hardly any MS on the Faeroe Islands. It was only after 1500 to 2000 British soldiers had been stationed on the islands between 1941-1944, that MS significantly increased in the population. The relationship between MS in the Faeroe island inhabitants and the presence of British soldiers is strongly supported by the fact that the cases of MS first occurred in islanders who lived close to British bases. This is an extremely important constraint because it demonstrates that the environmental factor is not solely indigenous and can be transported from one area to another. As the disease does not seem to be transmitted by person to person contact (e.g. husband and wife), the observations on the Faeroe Islands appear to be all the more peculiar. Amalgam could also be a perfectly suitable explanation in this case, because it is highly probable that the British dentists treated the local population as well.

In 1979, Bottyan, a Hungarian neurologist, informed the World Health Organisation (WHO), that he had discovered a baffling correlation between the frequency of MS cases and the density of dentists per inhabitant. Hmmm.

So many coincidences? Dr. Max Daunderer, a toxicologist from Munich has absolutely no doubts upon this question. On the first page of his book 'Amalgam' [4], he explains that if there was no amalgam there would be no MS. The reason: "The world-wide frequency of MS cases corresponds exactly with the quantity of mercury that dentists are using." Further on in the book he simply calls MS the amalgam-disease.

If one assumed that amalgam really could be the cause of MS, an interesting question arises, in which the answer may be found in the following paragraphs.

How can one rid oneself from the influence of amalgam?

This question is really interesting. It allows the supposition, that it could be at all possible, to get rid of the amalgam itself, plus its influence until now. There is also the quiet hope contained that simultaneously, the MS might be overcome. Utopian? Perhaps, but if one never tries, then nothing will be attained.

The solution could involve the following three steps:

1. One has the amalgam fillings taken out of the teeth to avoid the permanent entering of the contained substances into the body. Max Daunderer's book 'Amalgam' contains many tips of how to do this. E.g. lists of alternative new filling materials and recommendations of how best to remove the old fillings.

2. Get rid of the mercury that has accumulated in the body. The book 'Amalgam' also has detailed information for this, but this information can also be found by http://www.akupunkturzentrum.at/AZ/amalgam_2.html. The best method to get rid of Mercury seems to be the use of DMPS or DMSA. These substances should only be used - if at all - with great care by MS patients. Experience has shown that in some cases new MS flare-ups were caused.

Zinc seems to offer a moderate solution: Zinc is a crucial element, that the body needs to get rid of heavy metals. Mercury is known to reduce the body's zinc content, so that people suffering from amalgam often have a zinc level that is too low. Interesting in this connection: Tests on MS patients have shown that they also often have a low zinc level. It could be sensible to take a zinc preparation, just to replenish the missing zinc. However MS patients should do this carefully, starting with low doses, because zinc stimulates the immune system and flare-ups could be the consequence.

3. Get rid of the problems that have been caused by the amalgam. This is rather slippery ground. It is not quite clear which problems are directly related to amalgam. It may well be that this is different from case to case.

In most cases there seem to be gastric problems. Mercury has a strong antibiotic effect, which could mean that the natural gigantic quantity of beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract have been damaged under the long standing influence of this heavy metal. (see also 'Wie wirkt Amalgam im menschlichen Körper' at http://ever.ch/medizinwissen/amalgam.php). It is not surprising that MS patients have a high level of yeasts in their digestive tract. Normally the yeast colonies are kept down by the beneficial bacteria.

The fatal situation in the digestive tract is made worse by antibiotics, cortisone, wrong food and not enough exercise. The last straw in this scenery is a zinc deficiency, which even stops the body from effectively getting rid of the mercury. There are so many negative influences gathered together, and all of them influence the intestinal flora in the wrong direction.

Nobody denies that, the largest part of the immune system is in the gastrointestinal tract. MS is - also generally accepted - an autoimmune disease. A disease, in which a rampaging immune system falsely attacks its own body's cells. What thought could lay closer, than to look for the triggering off mechanism of autoimmune diseases and especially MS in the gastrointestinal tract? Certainly thought should be given to finding out if the digestive tract problems are really only the result of MS or if they may even have been one of the triggering causes of the disease. Observations that deterioration due to MS often starts after digestive tract problems have worsened, would support the suspicion, that MS is more the consequence than the cause.

Why does one receive so little assistance from medicals in this direction? One probable reason is that MS is treated by neurologists. It lies in the nature of a neurologist to treat the nervous system and not the bowels. Any attempts to consult a specialist from a different subject area result in being sent back to a neurologist. MS patients have been pushed into a category from which there is hardly any escape.

Another reason for the lack in assistance could be, that the connection between MS and the digestive tract is not clear enough. The gastrointestinal tract generally seems to be a black box, in which one can hardly see, for many medicinal subject areas. From the top end there are a few decimetres of the small intestine to be seen, and from below, about a metre of the colon can be inspected. The complete intestinal tract between can hardly be externally observed. Even ultrasound scans show very few details in the intestinal area, although that would be of no avail in this case. The exact composition of the intestinal flora and many details of digestive processes still seem to be very much in the dark. Perhaps this is why it is quite understandable when many prefer to see no connection between MS and the digestive tract.

The possible connection between auto immune diseases and the gastrointestinal tract are not ignored by all. Dr. John Mansfield, an English doctor, assumes that many chronic diseases with unclear causes have their beginnings in the digestive tract. In his opinion, the mislead immune system - mainly of the digestive tract - develops its work of destruction in many other parts of the body [5]. A situation that could certainly apply to MS too.

Dr. John Mansfield is specialized on food intolerances among other things. He tries to find the basic cause of a chronic disease, which may well stand in connection with the food intolerances. Diseases such as migraine, arthritis and asthma can thus be sensibly treated. MS is not yet on his list. On the other hand it is known that MS often proceeds in combination with food intolerances. However, MS has the disadvantage that the causality between the ingestion of the intolerable food and the following symptoms are not so easily recognizable as those of migraine or asthma.

To summarize, one can say that it is a rather complex situation which often involves food intolerances and other intestinal problems.

Intestinal yeast infection

This is a topic, which causes much controversy. Some quote almost unbelievably long lists of symptoms that are supposed to be caused by intestinal yeast infection. Others think that intestinal yeast is something quite normal; almost everybody has intestinal yeast without suffering from it. There are even some laboratories that seem to take advantage of the intestinal yeast hysteria, earning lots of money with testing stool samples.

Reality probably lies somewhere between both poles. On the one side, observations have been made that various symptoms and the cure thereof are described in connection with intestinal yeast.

It also seems certain that intestinal fungi can be present in the yeast form without any noticeable sickness symptoms.

Many intestinal yeasts - such as Candida albicans, which is frequently found - are also capable of developing a mycelium under good breeding conditions. In this form, the fungi cling to and infiltrate the mucosal lining of the intestines and are also capable of breaking through the mucosal lining. For example, in a food shortage situation, or on an anti-fungi diet, such fungi can substain themselves out of the surrounding blood vessels. An anti-fungi diet is not very successful under these circumstances and the fungi reacts with increasing aggression.

The proof of intestinal yeast can be found by stool sample tests, but the results of these tests are not always correct. Once the intestinal yeast has developed the mycelium and infiltrated the mucosal lining, it can only be found in the stool sample if it has been torn from the mucosal lining. This means that the yeast is very irregularly distributed in the sample and is quite often not found. This is the reason that many samples incorrectly show negative test results. A reasonably reliable indication that there is a pathogenic intestinal yeast colonization can be assumed if several of the following symptoms are present [6]:

• irregular stool, frequent constipation or diarrhea
• intestinal gas
• eczema
• inappeasable outbursts of appetite
• alcohol intolerance
• vaginal yeast infections
• allergic symptoms, hay fever, asthma, ...

The products of the intestinal fungi metabolism are supposed to contain strong nerve toxins, which could account for many of the unspecific symptoms.

There are various treatments for the reduction of excessive intestinal fungi. Poly-antimycotics such as Nystatin specifically destroy fungi, and are, even by high dosage, relatively safe to use, as they do not pass through the mucosal lining and have hardly any side effects. Anti-fungal treatment should however be accompanied by a qualified therapist as there are a few guide lines to be observed; e.g. the mouth and throat areas should also be treated and the toothbrush should be regularly renewed. Even more important is the correct diet during treatment.

Critics of the intestinal yeast topic are right in saying that being infested with gastrointestinal fungi is not an illness as such. It is much more the result of some other disorder. It is important to find and eliminate the cause of this disorder. Easier said than done. The next section may being light into this aspect, as excessive intestinal yeast is often regarded as being the result of a disruption in the balance of natural beneficial flora in the gastrointestinal tract [7][8].

Probiotics

Probiotics are substances that help the colonization of the natural beneficial flora of the gastrointestinal tract. The gastrointestinal tract represents a very complicated system with its approximately 100 billion (10¹⁴) bacteria. In the digestive tract, incoming food is reduced to smaller particles and digested. During this process a large amount of different substances are produced, with which the body comes into intensive contact. The mucosal lining of the gastrointestinal tract, with a surface of approximately 400 m², is thus the true border line between a human being and his environment. The approximately 2 m² of skin surface is less important in relation.

The immune system does the larger part of its work in the gastrointestinal tract. The various substances on offer are identified. Part of the substances can be used as food for the organism, some ignored and others must be eliminated. The digestive area is often called the school of the immune system.

To a large extent, the exact connection between the mucosal lining, bacterial colonization and the immune system is still unknown. It has however been observed, that probiotics seem to have a very positive effect. Probiotics consist of live or viable bacteria, which are supposed to have a positive effect on the beneficial flora, by either attacking or suppressing undesirable organisms and supporting the colonization of desirable bacteria.

An anti fungal treatment is normally concluded with probiotics, for both the small intestine and the colon, to build up the beneficial flora of the gastrointestinal tract again.

The use of probiotic substances is thought to have a positive health effect on the organism, and has been proved in various studies [9]. Such effects as the regulation of problematic bowel functions (diarrhea, constipation or flatuency) and a reduction of allergic reactions have been observed. K. Rusch, Institut für Mikroökologie also expressed similar ideas in a recent radio transmission [10].

Possibly probiotics can also help to reduce any negative effects that amalgam may have in the digestive tract.

Intolerances of certain foods

This topic does not really need its own separate section, as it has more or less been described in the previous sections. It has however often been observed that MS patients often have food intolerances and it is perhaps better to look at this aspect more closely.

The English doctor Dr. John Mansfield has published various books, in which certain chronic illnesses are brought into connection with food intolerances. In his books he has primarily dealt with migraine, arthritis [11] and asthma. However, he also stresses that many other chronic illnesses should be looked at from this point of view and treated in a similar way.

The first hurdle in treating food intolerances is to actually recognize which food substances are causing the patient problems. The high amount of different food substances that are daily consumed make this very difficult. There are many helpful and partially very complicated diagnostic possibilities, but the best observations usually come from the patients themselves.

The first measure once an intolerance against a substance has been defined, is to consequently avoid it. This is not always easy, as many substances are not declared.

Once an intolerance had been recognized, Dr. John Mansfield tries a rather radical anti-fungal treatment against the digestive tract's yeast. He has observed that many of his patients suffered from excessive yeast. Once the excessive yeast had been treated, he had often noticed that many intolerances disappeared on their own. The remaining intolerances were diagnosed with intradermal provocation tests and finally treated with a desensitizing neutralization therapy.

The particular advantage of this procedure for MS patients would be that the actual MS symptoms need not be regarded by the diagnosis of the intolerances. The intradermal provocation tests show an almost immediate reaction of the immune system directly on the treated skin area.

Dr. John Mansfield shows us that there are good possibilities to reliably diagnose intolerances and furthermore successfully treat them. In his opinion, the cause lies in the digestive tract.

Lactulose

Dr. Ralf Kluge from the town Halle/Saale - who also has MS - made extensive blood tests and has found irregularities in his own metabolism, which could be corrected with Lactulose and an alteration of his diet. In the booklet 'Information zur MS-Therapie nach Dr. med. R. Kluge' and under www.kluge-therapie.de are further details. Strongly simplified: Lactulose binds excessive ammonia in the gastrointestinal area and influences the gastrointestinal flora in a positive way. The observed long lasting improvements of MS patients seem to confirm this therapy. First regular bowel functions can be observed. After a while the bladder functions improve and the spastic declines. Anti-spastic drugs can be reduced or stopped completely. Other improvements follow. Many MS patients have been successfully treated with this therapy. This is not a claim that MS can be cured with Lactulose, but certainly the quality of life may be well improved and many symptoms reduced.

The observed processes are mainly in the digestive tract. Can these problems perhaps be caused by amalgam?

Nutrition

There are various, sometimes contrary, opinions concerning the type of food that should be consumed by MS patients. However, some recommendations exist for quite a while and have been proved to have positive effects. For example the very low fat "Swank" diet. MS patients were observed over a long period (1949 - 1984). The patients with a fat consumption of less than 20 g per day kept in much better condition than the comparative group of patients with a high fat consumption.

In the mean time there is well founded information on how the relative metabolism processes work. The arachidonic acid appears to support inflammation processes in the body. Prof. Dr. Olaf Adam, a nutrition expert for auto-immune diseases, states that only directly consumed arachidonic acid supports inflammation [12]. Arachidonic acid is only contained in animal fats. Plants do not develop arachidonic acid.

The deducted recommendation is:

• avoid arachidonic acid by consuming vegetarian food
• inhibit the inflammation supportive substances with fish oils and occasional fish meals
• reduce the transformation of the arachidonic acid into inflammation supportive substances with anti oxidants such as vitamins A, C, E, zinc, green tea, flavenoids, ...

Further ideas can be won by regarding the nutrition that the human being has consumed in the past thousands of years. The human body expects similar food today. It is questionable if the body can really cope with all of the new modern foods of the past decades.

For example Roger MacDougall wrote a fascinating documentation [13], in which he describes how he positively influenced his MS with a stone age diet. This reduced his symptoms so successfully, that he was able to live a normal healthy life to an old age with just a remaining slight nystagmus and no further observable neurological defects. Before starting the diet, he had been a bedridden, nursing case, given up as incurable by his doctors.

Another aspect is the use of preserving substances in food. They work well against many types of bacteria. Unfortunately the vital friendly gastrointestinal flora is also not spared by them. One can imagine, that they do not stop working, just by passing through the mouth.

The information above should only be considered as ideas that may help. Each person is an individual, who reacts differently to the various food substances. It is important that all individuals should observe their reactions exactly and then decide what is good for them.

Summary

Starting from the assumption that amalgam may be the cause of MS, the preceding sections are an attempt to bring light into the resulting complex situation. Many of these points of view can also be found in the lecture 'Ganzheitliches Therapiekonzept bei Multipler Sklerose' (Dr. Heintze, Chefarzt der Asklepios Klinik Dr. Walb in Homberg/Ohm).

The various theories of the last sections are all interconnected. There seem to be hardly any contrary points between the various theories. It almost seems as if they supplement each other. Some how the argumentation seems too easy to be true. This impression could possibly mean, that the real solution could be near.

Experiences of technology show: In many cases accidents and catastrophes, even if they at first appear to be very complicated, often only have a single cause. For example large plane accidents are inspected with an amazing quantity of time, money and energy. Most completely solved cases show that the cause of the accident can be reduced to one single factor.

MS could also be regarded as a catastrophe, with a causal factor that has been triggered off in less than the past 200 years. Just imagine, that the same amount of time, energy, money and straight thinking were consequently put into discovering the cause and cure for MS as for a capital plane crash. What would the result be? This is hopefully a small stimulation for those who are, on the one side, able to invest the necessary finances, and who, on the other side, might profit from the resulting financial savings.

Sources