Vitamin D as a protective factor in multiple sclerosis.
Salzer J, Hallmans G, Nyström M, Stenlund H, Wadell G, Sundström P.
Neurology. 2012 Nov 20;79(21):2140-5. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0b013e3182752ea8.
Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Neuroscience, Section of Neurology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden. jonatan.salzer at neuro.umu.se
OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) levels and the risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) in blood samples collected prospectively and during gestation.
METHODS: In this nested case-control study, 2 population-based biobanks with 291,500 samples from 164,000 persons collected since 1975 in the northern half of Sweden were used. We identified prospectively collected blood samples from MS cases (n = 192, controls matched 2:1) and gestational samples from pregnant mothers where the offspring had later developed MS (n = 37, control mothers matched 5:1). 25(OH)D levels were measured using an ELISA, and the risk of MS was analyzed using matched logistic regression.
RESULTS: Levels of 25(OH)D ≥75 (vs <75) nmol/L in prospectively collected blood samples were associated with a decreased risk of MS (odds ratio [OR] 0.39, 95% confidence interval CI 0.16-0.98). No decrease in MS risk was found in the offspring exposed to gestational 25(OH)D levels ≥75 (vs <75) nmol/L (OR 1.8, 95% CI 0.53-5.8). The prevalence of 25(OH)D levels ≥75 nmol/L in female controls decreased gradually during 1976-2005 (p trend = 0.005).
CONCLUSION: This study supports the presence of an association between high 25(OH)D levels during the years preceding disease onset and a decreased risk of MS. In the very limited material with samples drawn in early pregnancy, where month-of-birth effects were controlled for, we found no association between gestational 25(OH)D levels and MS risk in the offspring. Decreasing 25(OH)D levels in the population may contribute to explain the increasing MS incidence that is suggested from epidemiologic studies.
PMID: 23170011
See also VitaminDWiki
All of the MS and Pregnancy studies in VitaminDWiki
- Multiple Sclerosis 40 percent more likely if mother had low vitamin D – meta-analysis Jan 2020
- High-dose Vitamin D for Multiple Sclerosis is OK while pregnant – Sept 2019
- Extended breastfeeding cut in half the risk of Multiple Sclerosis – July 2017
- Multiple Sclerosis risk reduced 30 percent by each additional 10 ng of vitamin D at birth (1500 Danes) – Jan 2017
- A gestational dose of vitamin D per day keeps the MS doctor away (2X reduction) – Nov 2016
- Multiple Sclerosis 2X more likely if vitamin D deficient as a fetus decades earlier – May 2016
- No multiple sclerosis relapses during pregnancy if 50,000 IU of Vitamin D weekly – RCT April 2015
- Season of birth associated with Pneumonia (10 %) and Multiple Sclerosis (30 %) – May 2013
- Multiple Sclerosis more likely if mother had less than 25 ng of vitamin D – Nov 2012
- Multiple Sclerosis 23 percent more likely if born in April vs. Oct – meta-analysis Nov 2012
- High vitamin D in moms decreased MS incidence in daughters by 40% – July 2011