The body excretes extra salt if too much is consumed. But salt could potentially fluctuate in microdomains, which are small regions of membrane, he explained.

“It might be premature to say that a modified sodium diet could alter the course of the disease,” Schofield said, “but I recognize that people with MS [are] looking for potential modifiable things they can do. I wouldn’t discourage cutting back on salt. This could help with co-morbidities [such as heart health and blood pressure.”

“This study looked at the molecular level. The next step would be to research at the clinical level,” he said.

Details of the study

The study was performed at Yale University in Hafler’s lab. He’s a professor of neurology and immunobiology as well as chair of the department of neurology and neurologist-in-chief at Yale New Haven Hospital in Connecticut.

Hafler told Healthline they were looking at the gut microbiome in relationship to inflammatory cells in the blood and in terms of diet and dietary history.

Those who ate fast food more than twice a week had higher instances of inflammatory cells.

In addition, if more salt was added, the inflammation increased.

“It became interesting [to examine] salt and potassium on the immune system,” Hafler said.

Watch your diet

Those who eat a Western diet are cautioned to be careful.

This diet is rich in red and processed meat, processed foods, fat, sodium, refined grains, sugar, fried foods, and butter.

“We should all be [eating a] low-fat, low-salt diet, 200 to 300 milligrams salt max,” Hafler advised. “The average daily consumption is 5 grams of salt. We need to do more work on this low-salt diet and see how [people] respond.”

“It is clear that salt affects the immune system,” he added. “Maybe with a disease like cancer we want this, but it may not be the case with MS.”

Hafler emphasizes that patients have options.

He recommends people living with MS to “eat healthy, get nutrition from actual food, and don’t smoke.”

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