Studies have been carried out all over the world to try and find a link between Vitamin D and MS treatment. Although Vitamin D and MS treatment research has not yet come up with a new drug to treat or cure Multiple Sclerosis, there is plenty of evidence to suggest that there is a link between Vitamin D and the disease. An Oxford University study carried out on behalf of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada, the Scientific Research Foundation and the Multiple Sclerosis Society of the United Kingdom in 2009 looked into the way that Vitamin D interacts with our bodies and our genes, making some people more prone to developing Multiple Sclerosis and other autoimmune diseases. The researchers hoped that by investigating the established link between a lack of Vitamin D and Multiple Sclerosis, they could find out more about a possible Vitamin D MS treatment.
Vitamin D MS Treatment and Prevention
Although science has not yet developed an MS drug based on Vitamin D, or not even established that a Vitamin D MS treatment is a possibility, other studies at UK universities have discovered evidence that supplements could help prevent the disease from developing in those who are considered at risk. Genetic mapping could identify those of us who are most at risk of developing Multiple Sclerosis and Vitamin D tablets could be given to those people, to try and prevent MS from taking hold of their central nervous system. However, this news is not as welcomed as the discovery of a link between Vitamin D and MS treatment. The same Oxford University study mentioned before also suggested that pregnant women should take Vitamin D to help protect their unborn children from autoimmune diseases, while people suffering from a shortage could either take supplements or simply spend more time in the sun.
The Future of Vitamin D and MS Treatment
Studies into Vitamin D and MS treatment are likely to continue, now that a link between the two has been identified and established. A recent study in the US has actually managed to identify how Vitamin D can prevent these genetic autoimmune diseases, like Multiple Sclerosis, from developing. The discovery that Vitamin D stops the production of a specific protein, that then attacks genetic material causing MS and other conditions, should hopefully help researchers and doctors in the future, who are looking into the link between Vitamin D and MS treatment. Although an actual Vitamin D MS treatment is probably still years away and will probably come too late for many people already diagnosed with the disease, the thought that a crippling and terminal condition like MS could one day be treatable or even preventable is excellent news for everyone.
