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Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Vitamin D fights multiple sclerosis

by David Liu, PHD

Sunday Aug 13, 2012 (foodconsumer.org) -- Taking vitamin D or D3 supplements may help prevent or fight multiple sclerosis, according to a study in the July 2012 issue of Therapeutic Advances in Neurological Disorders.

The observational study led by C. Pierrot-Deseilligny of Université Pierre et Marie Curie (Paris VI) in Paris, France and colleagues showed a 10 nmol/L increase in the serum 25(OH)D level was associated with 13.7 percent reduction in the relapse incidence rate of multiple sclerosis.

In the study, 3,010 IU per day of vitamin D3 was given to156 patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis who were treated first line immunomodulatory therapy and whose serum 25(OH)D levels at baseline were below 100 nmol/L or 40 ng/ml for nearly 30 months. Serum vitamin D was measured once before and several times after supplementation.

As a result, vitamin D supplementation was found to increase serum vitamin D levels from 49 nmol/L to 110 nmol/L on average.  And serum vitamin D levels were found strongly inversely associated with the relapse incident rate of multiple sclerosis.

The relapse rate of multiple sclerosis decreased as 25(OH)D increased up to 110 nmol/L after which a plateau was reached and higher vitamin D levels did not lower the rate any further.

The findings suggest that vitamin D may have a protective effect against multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that affects the spinal cord and the brain or central nervous system. The disease affects more women than men.  Patients are likely aged between 20 and 40 even though it can be diagnosed in a person at any age.

Multiple sclerosis symptoms can  vary from person to person and can be found in many parts of the body.  Common symptoms include muscle problems like muscle spasms, bowel and bladder symptoms including difficult starting to urinate, eye symptoms like double vision, pain, and other brain and nerve symptoms like hearing loss, depression or feelings of sadness, sexual problems like erection dysfunction, and speech problems.



 foodconsumer.org
foodconsumer.org - Vitamin D fights multiple sclerosis

 LINK:  http://www.foodconsumer.org/newsite/Nutrition/Vitamins/vitamin_d_fights_multiple_sclerosis_0813120627.html



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