Vitamin D supplementation reduces multiple sclerosis relapses!

I came across a very interesting article just published in the journal Clinical Nutrition that conducted a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials analyzing the effects of vitamin D supplementation on adult patients with multiple sclerosis. Multiple sclerosis is a very difficult neurologic disease where our own immune system attacks the myelin sheath surrounding our neurons, resulting in symptoms of severe fatigue, balance problems, numbness and tingling, muscle spasms and even double vision. Amazingly, the researchers found that patients who engaged in supplementation with high dose vitamin D for greater than a year had reduced relapses of the disease, as well as reduced progression of disability. They postulated that these effects are likely due to the immunomodulatory effects of vitamin D. Many of my patients in clinic are deficient in vitamin D, and this provides yet another example of the positive impact of this essential vitamin on the health and wellbeing of our bodies and nervous system!