Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Functional Medicine Approach To Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) or Lou Gehrig’s disease is a progressive, degenerative condition which affects nerve cells called Motor Neurons responsible for control of voluntary muscles. The disease is associated with stiff muscles, muscle atrophy, muscle twitching, steadily declining strength, and worsening disability in most cases leading to death. Symptoms may start in one limb, with problems speaking or swallowing, or more rarely, with problems breathing. At Sharlin Health & Neurology, our functional medicine provides ALS treatments for patients across Ozark and near Springfield Missouri.
ALS Directly Inherited From Parents
The median survival of with ALS is 32 months from onset of symptoms and 19 months from diagnosis. The 5-year survival after diagnosis is 7%. Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved edavarone to treat patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis the history of clinical trials to identify effective drugs for the treatment of the condition has a poor track record with more than 50 randomized controlled trials that failed to show positive results. This is only the second drug in 22 years to be approved in the United States, the first being riluzole. The efficacy of edavarone, a drug which must be administered intravenously, is based on its ability to slow the decline in the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale-Revised (ALSFRS-R) over a period of 24 weeks. The study did not, on the other hand, report on survival. Riluzole, by contrast, approved in the U.S. in 1995, was found to be modestly effective in prolonging survival for patients with ALS, but only by about two months. There was no data on quality of life, but patients treated with riluzole remained in a more moderately affected health state significantly longer than placebo-treated patients.
Lifestyle Factors Impact Risk Of ALS
How The Autoimmune Processes Factor In The Development Of ALS
In addition, autoimmune processes have been identified as a potential factor in the development of ALS. There is a case report of an individual who was initially believed to have a motor neuron disease, possibly ALS, whose symptoms, physical findings, and laboratory findings regressed over a 23-month period while following a gluten-free diet. Another study found that a higher percent of individuals with ALS (59.1%) than controls (28.6%) had HLA-specific alleles that increase the risk of developing Celiac disease. All controls had no evidence for IgA antibodies to transglutaminase and/or gliadin (antibodies associated with Celiac disease or gluten sensitivity), while 15.3% of the ALS patients did have elevated auto-antibodies, suggesting that gluten sensitivity may be a factor for some individuals with ALS. Other autoimmune diagnoses and processes have been noted in the presence of ALS. Autoimmune diagnoses that have preceded the diagnosis of ALS include asthma, celiac disease, myasthenia gravis, polymyositis, Sjögren’s syndrome, ulcerative colitis, and systemic lupus erythematosus.
Individuals with ALS are frequently malnourished and may have reduced energy and nutrient intakes. An elevated energy expenditure which is seen in about half of patients with ALS may also contribute to negative energy balance and weight loss. Individuals who have a lower weight prior to diagnosis or experience significant weight loss and reduction in lean mass may have a poorer prognosis. Thus, maintaining adequate nutrition to preserve body weight and muscle mass may be important treatment considerations in ALS.
Our Near Springfield Functional Medicine Approach To ALS
Program Enrollment Schedule Free Consultation
Your first step is to schedule a free telephone consultation with Callie Maggard, Brain Tune Up! Program Director. Please select the time you can be reached by telephone and complete the form afterwards. These steps are critical! Because of the high volume of interest, we are unable to answer your calls or questions until you have scheduled through this process and completed the intake form.
My program accepts out-of-state patients. Brain Tune Up! is a 5-8 month program. In order to be accepted into my program my team and I have to see you for the two-day initial neurological evaluation in-person, but we then can customize the rest of the program in a virtual setting for patients who are traveling from far distances. This will be explained when you schedule a telephone consultation.
Program Director: Callie Maggard
“Thank you for your interest in our program. I look forward to speaking with you about your health conditions and how our program could potentially help change the trajectory of your health.”
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