In the United States, approximately 40,000 individuals are living with multiple sclerosis, says the National MS Society. This condition is a chronic disease that can range in severity, with symptoms that may be constant or episodic. Multiple sclerosis can be treated, and vitamin E is being explored as a possible supplement for the condition. If you have the disease, prior to taking vitamin E for this purpose, talk with your doctor to see if it is safe and appropriate for you.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is an antioxidant that may help protect cells from damage caused by free radicals; this damage may increase the risk of various types of diseases, including cancer. Most individuals are not seriously deficient in this vitamin, but individuals who have difficulty absorbing fat properly can develop a deficiency that may require supplementation. Symptoms of a lack of vitamin E include muscle weakness, abnormal eye movements, impaired vision and unsteady gait. If a deficiency is long-term, damage to the liver and kidneys may occur. Good dietary sources of vitamin E include eggs, nuts, seeds, asparagus and yams.
Definition of MS
Multiple sclerosis, or MS, is an autoimmune disease, which means your body's immune system starts attacking parts of your own body. In MS, the immune system attacks myelin, the covering that helps protect the nerves in your central nervous system, interrupting signals sent to and from the brain and spinal cord. The disease can cause blurred vision, balance and coordination problems, slurred speech, tremors and extreme fatigue. There is no cure for MS, but treatments include medications to help symptoms and a variety of therapies to help sufferers live better with side effects of the disease, such as bladder problems and pain.
Vitamin E and MS
A 2002 study by H. T. Besler, et al, published in "Nutritional Neuroscience," found that individuals with MS had decreased levels of antioxidant vitamins during an attack of the disease, including alpha-tocopherol, an E vitamin. Another study performed by M, Goudarzvand, et al, and published in 2010 in the journal "Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology," found that vitamin E helped remyelinate damaged myelin of the hippocampus in rats. Humans with MS often have cognitive deficiencies due to hippocampal myelin damage, and vitamin E may help repair the damage. More research needs to be done on the effects of vitamin E on MS, so talk with your doctor before taking this vitamin for your condition.
Considerations
Before taking supplemental vitamin E, talk with your doctor to make sure it is safe and appropriate for you. This vitamin may interact with various types of medication, including chemotherapy drugs, statins and aspirin. Tell your doctor about any other supplements or medications you may be taking, to avoid adverse interactions. Do not use vitamin E as a substitute for any of the MS therapies your doctor has prescribed.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Vitamin E; Dr. Steven Ehrlich; December 2009
- National MS Society: What is Multiple Sclerosis?
- National MS Society: FAQs about MS
- PubMed; "Nutritional Neuroscience"; Serum Levels of Antioxidant Vitamins and Lipid Peroxidation in Multiple Sclerosis; HT Besler et al; 2002
- PubMed; "Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology"; Vitamins E and D3 Attenuate Demyelination and Potentiate Remyelination Processes of Hippocampal Formation of Rats Following Local Injection of Ethidium Bromide; M Goudarzvand et al; 2010
