The Swank Diet is a low saturated fat

Saturated fat

Saturated fat is fat that consists of triglycerides containing only saturated fatty acids. Saturated fatty acids have no double bonds between the individual carbon atoms of the fatty acid chain. That is, the chain of carbon atoms is fully "saturated" with hydrogen atoms...

 diet for the management of multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease in which the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord are damaged, leading to demyelination and scarring as well as a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms...

 developed by Dr. Roy L. Swank (1909-2008), which he introduced in 1948. Swank's research has been disputed due to methodological concerns while secondary sources suggest that diet interventions do not have any major effect on the disease.

The diet

The diet consists of:

1. Saturated fat
   Saturated fat
   Saturated fat is fat that consists of triglycerides containing only saturated fatty acids. Saturated fatty acids have no double bonds between the individual carbon atoms of the fatty acid chain. That is, the chain of carbon atoms is fully "saturated" with hydrogen atoms...
   
    should not exceed 15 grams per day
2. Unsaturated fat
   Unsaturated fat
   An unsaturated fat is a fat or fatty acid in which there is at least one double bond within the fatty acid chain. A fat molecule is monounsaturated if it contains one double bond, and polyunsaturated if it contains more than one double bond. Where double bonds are formed, hydrogen atoms are...
   
    (oils) should be kept to 20-50 grams per day
3. No red meat
   Red meat
   Red meat in traditional culinary terminology is meat which is red when raw and not white when cooked. In the nutritional sciences, red meat includes all mammal meat. Red meat includes the meat of most adult mammals and some fowl ....
   
    for the first year; after that, a maximum of 3 oz. (85 grams) of red meat per week
4. Dairy
   Dairy
   A dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting of animal milk—mostly from cows or goats, but also from buffalo, sheep, horses or camels —for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on a dedicated dairy farm or section of a multi-purpose farm that is concerned...
   
    products must contain 1% or less butterfat
   Butterfat
   Butterfat or milkfat is the fatty portion of milk. Milk and cream are often sold according to the amount of butterfat they contain.- Composition :The fatty acids of butterfat are typically composed as follows :...
   
   
5. No processed foods containing saturated fat
   Saturated fat
   Saturated fat is fat that consists of triglycerides containing only saturated fatty acids. Saturated fatty acids have no double bonds between the individual carbon atoms of the fatty acid chain. That is, the chain of carbon atoms is fully "saturated" with hydrogen atoms...
   
   
6. A good source of omega-3 (oily fish
   Oily fish
   Oily fish have oil in their tissues and in the belly cavity around the gut. Their fillets contain up to 30 percent oil, although this figure varies both within and between species...
   
   , cod liver oil
   Cod liver oil
   Cod liver oil is a nutritional supplement derived from liver of cod fish. It has high levels of the omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, and very high levels of vitamin A and vitamin D. It is widely taken to ease the symptoms of arthritis and for other health benefits...
   
   , cod liver oil tablets, etc.) along with a multi-vitamin and mineral supplement are recommended daily
7. Wheat
   Wheat
   Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
   
   , gluten
   Gluten
   Gluten is a protein composite found in foods processed from wheat and related grain species, including barley and rye...
   
    or dairy
   Dairy
   A dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting of animal milk—mostly from cows or goats, but also from buffalo, sheep, horses or camels —for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on a dedicated dairy farm or section of a multi-purpose farm that is concerned...
   
    product quantities are not restricted. But foods which cause allergies or reactions to an MS sufferer should be avoided

Research

Swank's research on 144 patients over a 34-year period was published in The Lancet

The Lancet

The Lancet is a weekly peer-reviewed general medical journal. It is one of the world's best known, oldest, and most respected general medical journals...

(1990). The study showed that those who followed the diet had not shown any significant deterioration of their condition over a 34-year period, while those that did not follow the diet did significantly deteriorate over the same period.

Swank's research has been disputed because it lacked double-blind testing. However, a new study (2011) on relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) is currently being conducted at the Oregon Health & Science University. Some very limited secondary sources suggest that diet interventions, such as supplements of Omega-6 fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids or vitamins do not have any major effect on the progression of the disease or number of relapses.

External links

• Swank MS Diet site
• Interview with Dr. Roy Swank, MD
• 1995 radio interview with Dr Swank
• National MS Society http://www.nationalmssociety.org/news/news-detail/index.aspx?nid=4046
• Oregon Health & Science Universityhttp://www.ohsu.edu/xd/research/centers-institutes/neurology/multiple-sclerosis-center/research/ms-clinical-trials.cfm