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Vitamin D May Help Protect Against Multiple Sclerosis |
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A growing body of research supports vitamin D’s role in health promotion and disease prevention.
New research from the Harvard School of Public Health suggests a link between high blood levels of vitamin D and lower risk of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). In this prospective study, researchers looked at blood samples from more than 250 military personnel with MS, and compared them to samples from matched controls. Vitamin D status was estimated by averaging 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels of two or more samples collected before the onset of MS symptoms. Researchers determined that the highest blood levels of vitamin D were associated with a significantly lower risk of developing MS, when compared to the lowest vitamin D levels. The authors note that this relationship was particularly strong for blood levels measured before 20 years of age and suggest that increasing the vitamin D levels among young adults could result in an important reduction in MS incidence. The authors caution that more research is needed before a broad recommendation for vitamin D supplementation is warranted.
Munger K, et al. Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Levels and Risk of Multiple Sclerosis. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2006; 296: 2832-2838.
Editors’ Note: Dairy foods such as milk are among the few foods that provide a significant source of dietary vitamin D, with one 8-ounce glass of vitamin D-fortified milk supplying 25% of the Daily Value. Some yogurts and cheeses are also fortified with Vitamin D.
Scientific synopsis provided by Bonnie Johnson, MS, RD, Dairy Council of Utah/Nevada
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