Introduction

The myelin sheath is the protective outer covering surrounding many nerves in the body. It functions similarly to insulation around an electrical wire and plays a major role in helping nerves communicate efficiently and rapidly.

When the myelin sheath becomes irritated, inflamed, weakened, or damaged, nerve communication may become disrupted. This may contribute to:
• tingling
• numbness
• burning sensations
• weakness
• altered sensation
• balance instability
• slowed nerve signaling
• sensory decline

In some individuals, damage involving the myelin sheath may become a major contributor to peripheral neuropathy physiology.

Peripheral Neuropathy & Brain-Like Degeneration

I often explain to patients that peripheral neuropathy may resemble “Alzheimer’s or dementia involving the hands and feet.”

Just as cognitive decline may involve impaired communication involving the brain, peripheral neuropathy may involve impaired communication involving the sensory nerves.

When nerves lose their protective integrity and signaling efficiency, communication between the feet, hands, and brain may become distorted, slowed, hypersensitive, or diminished.

What Damages the Myelin Sheath?

Multiple factors may contribute to myelin stress or degeneration including:
• chronic inflammation
• glucose instability
• oxidative stress
• vitamin deficiencies
• toxicity
• mitochondrial dysfunction
• autoimmune physiology
• poor circulation
• chronic inflammatory foods
• poor fatty acid balance
• oxidative damage involving nerve tissue

The myelin sheath is highly dependent upon healthy fats and fatty acid stability. Healthy omega-3 oils are important because they help support cell membrane integrity, nerve tissue physiology, and anti-inflammatory pathways.

Conversely, excessive omega-6 oils may contribute to inflammatory physiology when consumed in excess. The balance between omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids becomes extremely important involving nerve health, inflammatory regulation, and tissue recovery physiology.

Inflammatory Oils & Fatty Acid Physiology

One of the downstream evaluations that may provide additional insight into inflammatory physiology involves fatty acid serum analysis.

This type of testing may help evaluate inflammatory oil patterns involving arachidonic acid and linolenic acid balance together with overall fatty acid physiology.

In “Dr. Bob’s Guide to Stop ADHD in 18 Days,” a key discussion is how trans fatty acids, and partially hydrogenated oils may negatively influence healthy cellular membrane function.

These man-made oils may sabotage the body’s ability to efficiently utilize healthy omega-3 oils. Downstream, this may impair the production of healthy prostaglandins involved in inflammation regulation and pain modulation physiology.

One of the important physiologic concepts involving trans fats is their prolonged half-life within the body. It has been discussed that the half-life of trans fats may be approximately 51 days. In practical terms, this means that after 51 days, approximately half of the physiologic negative influence from that oil may remain within the body.

Even after approximately 102 days, residual effects involving those inflammatory oils may still be present. When individuals repeatedly consume processed foods, partially hydrogenated oils, or excessive trans fats, they may continuously interfere with the body’s healthy fatty acid balance and membrane physiology.

By comparison, healthier cis-fatty acids have been discussed as having a much shorter physiologic half-life, approximately 18 days. During the pilot nutritional program involving my ADHD book, we observed meaningful improvements in many patients within approximately 18 days after improving dietary fat quality and reducing inflammatory food exposure.

Physiologically, the body possesses remarkable healing and recovery potential when healthier nutritional and inflammatory conditions are restored.

Diet has a profound impact on virtually every bodily function including circulation, mitochondrial physiology, inflammatory balance, myelin integrity, and nerve health.

Simply stated:

“You are what you eat.”

Vitamin D & Nerve Physiology

I have commonly observed low vitamin D levels in individuals experiencing multiple sclerosis patterns, inflammatory neurologic conditions, and peripheral nerve dysfunction.

Vitamin D plays important roles involving:
• immune regulation
• inflammatory balance
• neurologic signaling
• mitochondrial physiology
• tissue repair
• nerve health

Low vitamin D status may contribute to inflammatory stress physiology and impaired tissue recovery involving the nervous system.

Myelin Damage & Peripheral Neuropathy

A damaged myelin sheath may impair how nerves communicate with the brain and body.

When myelin becomes damaged:
• nerve signaling may slow
• burning sensations may increase
• numbness may worsen
• sensory loss may occur
• coordination may decline
• balance instability may increase
• altered temperature perception may develop

In some individuals, neuropathy symptoms may reflect both nerve irritation and impaired myelin integrity simultaneously.