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Mediterranean diet and its low-antigenic and anti-inflammatory properties on fibromyalgia: a systematic review
The Mediterranean diet, renowned for its health benefits, raises the question of its role in managing fibromyalgia (FM). This systematic review aimed to explore whether the diet’s low-antigen and anti-inflammatory characteristics could mitigate FM symptoms.
Utilizing the 2020 PRISMA guidelines, researchers conducted a comprehensive search across two databases, PubMed and Google Scholar, for relevant studies published between 2019 and 2024. The search focused on key terms like ‘Fibromyalgia’, ‘Mediterranean Diet’, ‘Low-Antigen Diet’, ‘Anti-inflammatory Diet’, ‘Omega-3 ‘, and ‘Vitamin D’.
A total of 88 records were initially screened, yielding 10 pertinent studies, including 5 interventional and 5 observational articles. The interventional studies included sample sizes ranging from 13 to 84 participants, while the observational studies included sample sizes ranging from 84 to 442 participants. Findings indicated that adherence to the Mediterranean diet correlates with marked improvements in various FM-related issues. These include chronic widespread pain, autonomic dysfunction, persistent fatigue, cognitive dysfunction such as ‘fibro fog’, and sleep disturbances.
Conclusively, the studies reviewed illustrate a noteworthy relationship between gut health and the manifestation of FM symptoms. They advocate for the potential benefits of introducing the Mediterranean diet to patients with early signs of FM, suggesting that this dietary approach may have a low-to-moderate effect on symptom management before initiating pharmacological therapies. [NPID: Fibromyalgia, pain, Mediterranean Diet, anti-inflammatory]
Year: 2026
