Saturday, October 11, 2008

MS Linked To Vitamin D Deficiency

Children later diagnosed with multiple sclerosis had far lower levels of vitamin D than other youngsters, Canadian researchers reported on Friday in studies showing more links between the "sunshine" vitamin and disease.

These were the first studies to show the effects in children, although others have shown that adults who live in northern latitudes, who get less sun exposure, may have a higher risk of MS.

They also support a growing body of studies that link low vitamin D levels with disease, including breast and colon cancer, heart disease, diabetes and tuberculosis.

"Vitamin D acts as an immune modulator. On our immune cells there are what are known as receptors, a docking mechanism, for vitamin D," Dr. Brenda Banwell said. "In MS, there are many lines of evidence that immune cells are not regulated properly. One of the things that influences that balance is vitamin D."

Canadians have one of the highest rates of MS in the world, according to the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada. Six months of the year there the sun is not intense enough to benefit from Vitamin D. Read the entire article.

Note: I use Vitamin D for rheumatoid arthritis because of the research I've read linking it to autoimmune diseases and also for the many preventative benefits. Although I get some Vitamin D in my calcium and multivitamin, research is now showing a need of much more. Read Vitamin D Minimum To Be Increased. My choice for a quality supplement is Nature's Sunshine Vitamin D3.

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