People with Genetically Low Vitamin D Levels Are Exposed to Multiple Sclerosis

An extensive study shows that people with genetically low vitamin D levels are exposed to multiple sclerosis.

The study analyzed the genetic material of thousands of people inhabiting Europe, as it was proved that vitamin D plays a key role in multiplying or, otherwise, decreasing the odds of a person to develop multiple sclerosis.

At the present time, health officials have been attempting to answer the essential question of whether the so-called sunshine vitamin supplements could prevent this disease or alleviate it.

Multiple sclerosis, also known as disseminated sclerosis, is a disease affecting the central nervous system, deteriorating nerve fibers of the brain or spinal cord, and its symptoms include: speech and visual disturbances, muscular incoordination and partial paralysis. Health experts said that potential environmental factors and genetics were involved in this disease, whereas research revealed that multiple sclerosis was fairly common in countries with less sunny days.

Those who lack the sufficient vitamin D dosage in their system should be aware that over-medicating themselves might be dangerous, this means people should first consult their physician, before attempting to solve the problem on their own.

Moreover, vitamin D is produced in our skin via exposure to sunlight. It helps the growth and development of teeth and bones. Usually, a source of vitamin D is derived from one’s diet, including food such as: oily fish, eggs and cereals. However, those who don’t get enough exposure to the sun might need supplements indeed. These categories include: elders, pregnant women and children under five years of age.

Researchers from McGill University, Canada, monitored a vast group of Europeans who either did or did not display DNA-related issues to low vitamin D levels in their systems. They compared the prevalence of multiple sclerosis among the subjects.

The findings were published in the journal PLoS Medicine, and the findings were concise and to the point. It was discovered that people whose DNA material made them display lower levels of vitamin D in their blood displayed increased chances of suffering from multiple sclerosis later on, in comparison to people with regular genetic material.

Dr. Richards, Associate Professor of Medicine and Human Genetics from McGill University, pointed out the fact that vitamin D insufficiency was common in regions where the sun didn’t shine that often, therefore in Canada and other northern countries the number of people affected by multiple sclerosis was increasingly high.

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