UK people with Multiple Sclerosis are 3X more likely to take Vitamin D - Oct 2020

Remote testing of vitamin D levels across the UK MS population – a case control study

preprint Oct 16, 2020
Nicola Vickaryous PhD1, Mark Jitlal MSc1, Benjamin Meir Jacobs MRCP1, Rod Middleton BSc2,
Siddharthan Chandran PhD FRCP3, Niall John James MacDougall MD MRCP4,5, Gavin Giovannoni PhD
FRCP1,6,7 and Ruth Dobson PhD MRCP1,7*
1: Preventive Neurology Unit, Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine, Queen Mary University London, UK
2: UKMS Register, Swansea University Medical School, UK
3: Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, UK Dementia Research Institute at Edinburgh, University of Edinburgh
4: Neurology Department, Hairmyres Hospital, East Kilbride, UK.
5: Neurology Department, Institute of Neurological Sciences, Glasgow, UK 6: Blizard Institute, Queen Mary University London UK
7: Department of Neurology, Royal London Hospital, BartsHealth NHS Trust, London, UK:

Objective: The association between vitamin D deficiency and multiple sclerosis (MS) is well described. We set out to use remote sampling to ascertain vitamin D status and vitamin D supplementation in a cross-sectional study of people with MS across the UK.

Methods: People with MS and matched controls were recruited from across the UK. 1768 people with MS enrolled in the study; remote sampling kits were distributed to a subgroup. Dried blood spots (DBS) were used to assess serum 25(OH)D in people with MS and controls.

Results: 1768 MS participants completed the questionnaire; 388 MS participants and 309 controls provided biological samples. Serum 25(OH)D was higher in MS than controls (median 71nmol/L vs 49nmol/L). A higher proportion of MS participants than controls supplemented (72% vs 26%, p<0.001); people with MS supplemented at higher vD doses than controls (median 1600 vs 600 IU/day, p<0.001). People with MS who did not supplement had lower serum 25(OH)D levels than non-supplementing controls (median 38 nmol/L vs 44 nmol/L). Participants engaged well with remote sampling.

Conclusions: The UK MS population have higher serum 25(OH)D than controls, mainly as a result of vitamin D supplementation. Remote sampling is a feasible way of carrying out large studies.

 Download the pre-print PDF from VitaminDWiki


Most surveyed take 1,600 IU

  • They should take >16,000 IU

75% have > 20ng

  • Virtually all 20,000 MSers on Coimbra Protocol have >80 ng

Overview MS and vitamin D contains the following summar

Clinical interventions have shown that Vitamin D can prevent, treat, and even cure Multiple Sclerosis, at a tiny fraction of the cost of the drugs now used to treat it, and without side effects.

Summary: lack of consensus on how much to prevent, treat, or cure MS.

Multiple Sclerosis and (lots of) Vitamin D - book by patient on Coimbra protocol - Feb 2016 contains:

Vitamin D Protocol used by Dr. Coimbra for Multiple Sclerosis etc.
Snips as of April 2016 http://www.vitamindprotocol.com/dr.-coimbra-s-ms-protocol.html

  • 1,000 IU's vitamin D per kilogram as a first approximation
    (apparently increased/decreased depending of resulting vitamin D blood level)
  • Vitamin B2, magnesium glycinate, boron, chromium picolinate, Omega 3 DHA, Zinc, Methylcobalamin form of B12, Choline, etc.
  • Lack of B12 may affect 10%–15% of the general population and may be the most prevalent genetic risk factor for several human diseases
  • Discontinue eating or drinking dairy products or calcium enriched foods or beverages, also no Ca supplements
  • Drink as least 2.5 liters [85 ounces] of fluids, preferably water
  • Required Tests:​ Vitamin D, Parathyroid, Blood calcium, urinary calcium

Multiple Sclerosis 32 percent less likely among those with more than 32 ng of vitamin D – Dec 2019

UV and Sunshine reduces MS risk

Other things also help

High Dose Vitamin D and cofactors

Number of MS studies which are also in other categories

  • 22 studies in Genetics - genes can restrict Vitamin D getting to the blood and to the cells
  • 12 studies in Vitamin D Receptor - gene which restricts D from getting to the cells
  • 7 studies in Vitamin D Binding Protein - gene which restricts D from getting to the cells
  • 21 studies in Ultraviolet light - may be even better than Vitamin D in preventing and treating MS
  • 9 studies in Omega-3 - which helps Vitamin D prevent and treat MS


But unfortunately, very few MSers in the UK are getting enough Vitamin D to help

Increased use of D has the following

People have been noticing, and increasing vitamin D (55 items)

Studies are showing increased Vitamin D consumption and associated
      Increased levels of vitamin D PLUS increased health

More people with more than 50 ng is.gd/50ngVitD

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