A new study reveals that drinking coffee can help lessen Multiple Sclerosis-related fatigues in those dealing with milder cases of the illness.
According to Multiple Sclerosis News Today, fatigue affects over 70% of all people with Multiple Sclerosis. One study identified that 14% of sufferers stated it was their “worst symptom” and 55% citing it as “among the symptoms: that most affect them.
MS-related fatigue is not merely a feeling of tiredness but extreme exhaustion that occurs suddenly or can be activated by factors like activity, infections, stress, or digestion. According to many articles, there are no clear therapeutic recommendations to stop fatigue in Multiple Sclerosis.
Researchers at Germany’s University of Regensburg Hospital investigated the coffee consumption habits of 124 patients, with a median score on the expanded disability status scale corresponding to “mild disability.”
Levels of fatigue in patients were assessed applying the Fatigue Severity Scale, as well as the Epworth Sleepiness Scale and were compared to coffee consumption rates.
The researchers found that while there was little difference in everyday coffee intake between those scoring in the mild versus the significant disability ranges, those with milder cases “announced better concentration and attention spans, and a more structured everyday routine.
MS patients with an EDSS score higher than 0, but lower than 4, noted the strongest effect of coffee consumption on their cognitive abilities, mainly regarding a higher mental capacity and a more structured daily routine. It can be hypothesised that these patients are able to benefit from the effects of coffee consumption due to their still preserved cognitive reserves.
German researchers
However, more research is needed to be sure that a coffee habit can help Multiple Sclerosis patients, but still, this study offers hope.
