Background:

Multiple sclerosis is a multifactorial disease of the central nervous system, in which nutritional factors could be related both positively and negatively to the course of the disease.

Objective:

To describe nutritional and dietary aspects in patients with multiple sclerosis that may be important in the etiology and progression of the disease.

Materials and Methods:

The systematic search for observational and experimental studies in the Scopus, Pubmed, Lilacs, Embase, and SciELO databases between January 2009 and August 2020.

Results:

A diet similar to the Mediterranean pattern was related to a decrease in fatigue and lower relapse rates; low serum levels of B12, magnesium, and vitamin K exhibited prolonged latencies of visual and somatosensory evoked potentials, worse ratings on the Extended Disability Status Scale, and higher prevalence of optic nerve lesions, respectively.

Conclusion:

The anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and regulatory functions of nutrients, such as polyunsaturated fatty acids, selenium, zinc, magnesium, B12, and vitamin K, contribute to the comprehensive management of patients with multiple sclerosis. Further studies are required to specify the effectiveness and impact of the intervention.

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