Vitamin D3 and MS

Could it be that an effective treatment for MS is hiding in plain sight? The sunlight and the vitamin D3 it delivers have been shown to effectively and inexpensively treat the symptoms of multiple sclerosis. Perhaps one day even hold the key for a preventive strategy.

First line treatments for MS are expensive and do nothing to stop the progressive of the disease. Second line treatments are even more expensive, and while they may be effective, they also have detrimental and serious side effects.

Scientists, according the European Journal of Immunology, have found a link between sunlight, vitamin D3 and MS risk and severity. “Our new study investigated the protective effects of the vitamin D3 hormone in an experimental model of MS,” said Dr. Colleen Hayes from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her team has discovered on a molecular level how these three components interact and have discovered that people who have MS and an abundance of the vitamin D3 hormone suffer the least from their disease, both in severity and number of attacks.

“The study provides a biological explanation for the negative correlation between UV light exposure and MS disease risk and severity,” continued Hayes, “My research group and others around the world are building the scientific knowledge base needed to devise vitamin D-based strategies to prevent and treat MS.” Hayes concluded, “There are many uncertainties and unanswered questions. However, understanding how sunlight and vitamin D3 may be working at the molecular level contributes greatly to our knowledge base and brings us closer to the goal of preventing this debilitating disease.”

Source: Wiley-Blackwell, ScienceDaily