When considering the risk factors for any disease, it is important to separate fact from fiction. The table below contains a list of possible causes or triggers for MS that have been proven to be false.
MS Triggers That Have Been Proven to be False
Cause or Trigger
Conclusion
Canine distemper
- Research has ruled out household pets and the virus that causes canine distemper as increasing risk for MS
Allergies
- There is no evidence that MS is triggered by reaction to an environmental allergen
Heavy metals (examples: mercury, lead, manganese)
- There is no evidence that exposure to heavy metals (including mercury amalgams used in dental fillings) causes MS
Physical trauma
- Research has found no evidence of a link between physical trauma and the development or exacerbation of MS
Aspartame
- There is no evidence that the artificial sweetener aspartame (used in foods and diet soft drinks) causes MS
