Multiple Sclerosis and Vitamin D

Posted by admin on November 27, 2008 under Multiple Sclerosis, Vitamin D | 5 Comments to Read

It is known that if you are born above 35° latitude at approximately Atlanta, Georgia, and live at this latitude for the first ten years of your life that you have a 100% increase risk of developing multiple sclerosis. Recent studies have suggested that women and men who increase their vitamin D intake above 400 IU of vitamin D a day reduces risk of developing multiple sclerosis by approximately 40%.

References:

Munger KL, Zhang SM, O’Reilly E, Hernan MA, Olek MJ, Willett WC, Ascherio A. Vitamin D intake and incidence of multiple sclerosis. Neurology 2004; 62(1):60-5.

Munger KL, Levin LI, Hollis, BW, Howard NS, Ascheino A. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and risk of multiple sclerosis. JAMA 2006; 296:2832-2838.

Ponsonby A-L, McMichael A, and van der Mei I. Ultraviolet radiation and autoimmune disease: insights from epidemiological research. Toxocology 2002;181-182:71-78.

Tags: MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Vitamin D

john p sisson said,

you never mentioned S.A.D
Columbia Presbyterian offers chronotherapy for this disease; and adds in negative ions treatment too.
My SAD is suicidal and needs more attention from the medical community
Thomas J Schwindenhammer said,

Your thinking on treating MS with HIGH dosage of D? I had taken Betaseron fir 1.5 yrs and was told that the signs of MS were still going on. I asked why try something else because I CAN’T handle the side effects anyway. For two yrs now I have been treating with high dosage of D (15,000 I. U. a day) for the last 2 years I have been told the MRI’S and all signs seem “OK” no change. I still have slight flare ups but nothing like before. Your thoughts PLEASE
admin said,

Dear Thomas,
It would be wise to have a blood level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D determined. 15,000 IU of vitamin D a day maybe okay as long as your blood level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D is less than 100 ng/ml. If it is above 100 ng/ml I would decrease the dose.
Yasar Sakarya MD said,

Dear Dr.Holick
my question are:
1.In our country (Turkey), it very popular to prescribe an intramuscular vial preparation that contains 300.000 IU vitamin D3 to take orally once in month for three months ( totally 900.000 IU taken). Is this a correct usage? I mean, a vial that contains 300.000 IU vitamin d3 is ingested every mont for three months.
2. In our country, only vitamin d3 is available.
I advice my patients to take 12 box of vitamin d 3 preparation than contains 50.000 IU, to increase the level +30, 1000 IU for entire life. is this wise?
best wishes
Thank you.
admin said,

Dear Yasar,
I usually recommend taking 200,000 IUs of vitamin D monthly for 2-3 months to correct vitamin D deficiency and then to maintain my patients on 100,000 IUs of vitamin D monthly which is equivalent to 3000 IUs of vitamin D daily to maintain a blood level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D above 30 ng/mL. We have found that 1000 IUs of vitamin D daily is usually not enough to sustain blood levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D above 30 ng/mL.