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January 2009 - MS and Vitamin D
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurological disease that affects the central nervous system — the brain and spinal cord. While MS can occur at any age, most people who are diagnosed are between the ages of 15 and 45 (with peaks among people in their 30s to 40s), and 70 percent of people with MS are women.
While MS has no known cause, researchers have been exploring whether factors such as genetics, environment, or viruses play a role in the disease.
| In terms of genetics, MS may affect more than one person in a family. When one family member has MS, other family members (parents, children, grandchildren and all blood-relatives) are at increased risk for developing MS.
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In terms of environment, a noteworthy trend has emerged over the years.
“Research is showing an association between MS and vitamin D,” said Douglas Woo, MD, a Medical College of Wisconsin neurologist who is fellowship-trained in MS. “It’s been found that people who take vitamin D supplementation (400 to 1000 units a day) seem to have a lower risk of developing MS. As such, it leads one to think that being deficient in vitamin D would, therefore, increase your risk of contracting the disorder.”
Our skin can produce vitamin D for the body upon being exposed to sunlight. But vitamin D production is not only related to the amount of time a person spends in the sunlight but also the angle of the sun. The sun’s rays are more direct at the equator, and the production of vitamin D is generally higher at the equator than among people who live much farther north or south.
“The farther away from the equator — whether north or south — the higher the incidence of MS,” Dr. Woo said. “MS is five times more prevalent in temperate climates than in tropical regions. In the United States, for example, the northern states have a higher rate of MS than the southern states. Conversely, in Australia, which is below the equator, the northern part of the country has a lower MS rate than the southern part.”
More Research NeededStudies supported by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society have found that people with higher levels of vitamin D were at lower risk for developing MS, adding to growing information that vitamin D may help protect against the development of MS. However, more research is needed. To date, there is no strong evidence indicating that increasing vitamin D levels (as supplements) will prevent MS or that increased levels of vitamin D will reduce the progression of MS in people who have the disease.
However, vitamin D is important for healthy joints, bones, teeth and muscles, and is associated with preventing certain types of cancer. Vitamin D deficiency is also associated with a number of other diseases including fibromyalgia, colorectal cancer and heart disease.
A simple blood test can tell your physician if you are getting enough vitamin D. If a deficiency is found, your physician can prescribe the correct supplemental dose of vitamin D.
Comprehensive CareA multidisciplinary team of experts at Froedtert & The Medical College of Wisconsin offer comprehensive care for patients with multiple sclerosis. Our experts are recognized regionally and nationally for their leadership in MS research and for their aggressive approach to treatment.
Up to 400,000 people in the United States have MS, including about 10,000 people in Wisconsin. MS is considered an autoimmune disease in which the body attacks its own tissues. In MS, the immune system attacks nerve fibers and the fatty coating (called myelin) that surrounds them and acts as an insulator, allowing electrical impulses to travel along nerves quickly. When the myelin is destroyed or damaged, scars or “sclerosis” develop, which interrupt nerve signaling and disrupt communication to the rest of the body. MS symptoms can range from relatively mild to somewhat disabling to devastating, as communication between the brain and other parts of the body is disrupted.
ResourcesSmall Stones, a health resource center of Froedtert & The Medical College of Wisconsin, offers the following resources on multiple sclerosis:
- Multiple Sclerosis: The First Year – An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed by Margaret Blackstone
- Multiple Sclerosis – The Questions You Have, The Answers You Need by Rosalind C. Kalb, PhD
- Managing the Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis by Randall T. Schapiro, MD
- Multiple Sclerosis A Guide for Families by Rosalind C. Kalb, PhD
- The MS Workbook – Living Fully with Multiple Sclerosis by Robert. T. Fraser, PhD, George H. Kraft, MD, Dawn M. Ehde, PhD, and Kurt L. Johnson, PhD
- Mental Sharpening Stones – Manage the Cognitive Challenges of Multiple Sclerosis by Jeffrey N. Gingold
- A Meditation to Help You with Multiple Sclerosis by Belleruth Naparstek
Author: Marla Fraunfelder | Medical Reviewer: | Douglas Woo, MD |
Last Review Date: Feb. 1, 2009 Online Editor(s): Christopher Sadler
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