A fat-soluble vitamin, vitamin D exists in several foods, such as dairy products and fortified cereals. When your body gets sunlight, it manufactures the vitamin. But if you do not get enough vitamin D in your diet or if you do not get outside in the sun enough, you may develop a vitamin D deficiency. One condition possibly linked to a vitamin D deficiency is multiple sclerosis, or MS, a neurological condition that results from an abnormal immune system response.
Significance
Low levels of vitamin D may play a role in MS. A study conducted by Alberto Ascherio, M.D., PhD, of Harvard School of Public Health looked at Department of Defense files that had patients' blood samples. Ascherio compared blood samples of each MS patient to two control subjects and took into consideration the location of the service member's enlistment, which affects her exposure to sunlight. While Ascherio did not find any connection between black or Hispanic MS patients and vitamin D levels, he did find that a white patient's risk of developing MS increased by 62 percent when she had lower vitamin D levels, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. While this connection was discovered, the researchers could not determine if a vitamin D deficiency plays a role in the onset of MS or protects against the disease.
Benefits
Increasing vitamin D levels may help with your MS. Dr. Jerry W. Swanson, a neurologist at the Mayo Clinic, says that vitamin D may have a positive influence on your immune system. With MS, your immune system mistakes the myelin sheath on the nerve fibers in your brain and spinal cord as an invading force and attacks it, causing the symptoms of MS. Another link between vitamin D and MS is sunlight exposure. For example, if you live farther from the equator, such as northern Europe or the United States, you have a higher risk of developing MS, says Medline Plus. If you have more sunlight exposure, which increases vitamin D production, you have protection against the disease.
Diagnosis
If you display symptoms of MS, your doctor may run tests to diagnose you. In addition to physical examinations, such as an eye examination and a neurological examination, he may order an MRI scan of your brain and spinal cord, in which he will look for lesions. He may also have you undergo a lumbar puncture, which tests your cerebrospinal fluid, and a nerve function study. Once your doctor has diagnosed you with MS, he may check your vitamin D levels. A vitamin D deficiency test involves drawing a sample of your blood. The Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University says that while a normal level of vitamin D in the blood is debated, a healthy level can range from 30 ng/mL and 50 ng/mL.
Treatment
If your doctor determines that you have a vitamin D deficiency, she may suggest that you take vitamin D supplements. While the National Academy of Sciences recommends 200 IU of vitamin D taken daily if you are an adult up to age 50, Swanson says that you may benefit from 800 to 1,000 IU of vitamin D daily. Vitamin D supplements should not replace traditional treatments for MS, such as interferons, which slow the progression of the disease. Before starting any supplements for MS, talk to your doctor.
Considerations
When taking vitamin D supplements for MS, do not take more than your doctor recommends. Swanson points out that more than 40,000 IU of vitamin D supplements can become toxic. Symptoms include weight loss, nausea, poor appetite and vomiting. This high level of vitamin D can also increase the levels of calcium in your body, which can result in kidney stones. While vitamin D supplements may support your MS treatment, neither the supplements nor the medications can cure the disease.
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