Propionic acid and multiple sclerosis in people
What it found
In people with multiple sclerosis, taking propionic acid for 2 weeks increased regulatory T cells and decreased Th1 and Th17 cells.
After 3 years, post-hoc analyses found fewer relapses, stable disability, and less brain shrinkage.
What they found
Studies in people
Lower propionic acid
People with MS had significantly less propionic acid in their blood and stool than controls. This was especially true after the first relapse.
Immune cell changes
After 2 weeks of taking propionic acid, MS patients had a significant and lasting increase in working regulatory T cells. Th1 and Th17 cells decreased significantly.
Relapses and disability
Post-hoc analyses found a lower yearly relapse rate, disability that stayed stable, and less brain shrinkage after 3 years of taking propionic acid.
Gut gene activity
In the intestine, genes that help make regulatory T cells were more active after taking propionic acid.
Treg cell function
Propionic acid brought the energy-making parts of regulatory T cells back to normal in MS.
What the authors conclude
“Our findings suggest that PA can serve as a potent immunomodulatory supplement to MS drugs.”
Also in their conclusions
- They suggest that propionic acid can serve as a potent immunomodulatory supplement to MS drugs.
How it was done
Short-chain fatty acids from gut bacteria affect the immune system. The authors wanted to study propionic acid in multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune and neurodegenerative disease.
They measured propionic acid in blood and stool from people with MS and controls. They then gave propionic acid to MS patients who were not yet on therapy and as an add-on to existing immunotherapy.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- The supplement study was small and proof-of-concept, so it cannot prove that propionic acid causes fewer relapses or less disability over time.
- The 3-year findings come from post-hoc analyses, which are less reliable than planned analyses.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- Declaration of Interests R.G. and A.H. have filed a patent on the supportive immunomodulatory effect of C3-C8 aliphatic fatty acids.
- Authors work at
- Ruhr University Bochum, Germany; Bar-Ilan University, Israel; Martin Luther University, Germany
The paper
- Title
- Propionic Acid Shapes the Multiple Sclerosis Disease Course by an Immunomodulatory Mechanism
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Duscha A, Gisevius B, Hirschberg S, et al (2020). Propionic Acid Shapes the Multiple Sclerosis Disease Course by an Immunomodulatory Mechanism. Cell. doi:10.1016/j.cell.2020.02.035PubMed 32160527DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error