According to a pilot study published by Johns Hopkins physicians in the Dec. 30 online issue of Neurology, taking a high dose of vitamin D3 is safe for people with multiple sclerosis and may help regulate the body’s hyperactive immune response .
“These results are exciting, as vitamin D has the potential to be an inexpensive, safe and convenient treatment for people with MS,” says study author Peter Calabresi, M.D., director of the Johns Hopkins Multiple Sclerosis Center and professor neurology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. “More research is needed to confirm these findings with larger groups of people and to help us understand the mechanisms for these effects, but the results are promising.”
Low levels of vitamin D in the blood are tied to an increased risk of developing MS. People who have MS and low levels of vitamin D are more likely to have greater disability and more disease activity.
For the study, 40 people with relapsing-remitting MS received either 10,400 IUs or 800 IUs of vitamin D3 supplements per day for six months. Researchers found the people taking the high dose had a reduction in the percentage of inflammatory T cells related to MS severity, specifically IL-17+CD4+ and CD161+CD4+ cells. When the increase in vitamin D levels in the blood over baseline levels was greater than 18 ng/ml, every additional 5 ng/ml increase in vitamin D led to a 1 percent decrease in the percentage of IL-17+CD4+ T cells in the blood. The people taking the low dose did not have any noticeable changes in the percentages of their T cell subsets.
While researchers are still determining the optimal level of vitamin D in the blood for people with MS, a suggested range of 40 to 60 nanograms per milliliter (ng/ml) has been proposed as a target. Participants taking the high dose of vitamin D reached levels within the proposed target, whereas the group taking the low dose did not reach the target.
Side effects from the vitamin supplements were minor and were not different between the people taking the high dose and the people taking the low dose.
“We hope that these changes in inflammatory T cell responses translate to a reduced severity of disease,” says Calabresi. “Other clinical trials are underway to determine if that is the case.”
Previous studies have found that low levels of vitamin D play a role in other immune conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis. (Source)
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Have you read about the Wahls Protocol? It is the 1st diet to undergo clinical trials to treat for MS.
I have heard of the Wahls Protocol; I think it’s an interesting concept and look forward to further research that becomes available about it.
I am cautious, however, about trying to treat a complex condition like MS through diet alone (or any medical condition, really). Special diets can remove some causes of inflammation, and can help with symptoms. They, in fact, can make a huge difference for some people. However, there may be additional needs that should be addressed through supplementation. Since vitamin D isn’t a nutrient inherent in foods, a change in diet alone may not treat someone as effectively as diet + supplementation.
One thing that I’m always cautious about when treating disease through special diet protocols, is the tendency to get progressively stricter if the condition is not improving on the diet. I have a lot more to say on the topic, and will be addressing this in future posts.