Vitamin D May Reduce Fatigue Associated With Multiple Sclerosis

A disease in which the myelin sheaths – the insulating covers of the body’s nerve fibers – are damaged, multiple sclerosis is believed to affect more than 2 million people worldwide. Most commonly diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 40, the course of the illness can take several forms. In relapsing-remitting forms of the disease symptoms tend to appear, disappear, and then return again; in progressive forms they build up over time.

Symptoms are wide-ranging and vary between patients but can include visual disturbances; muscle weakness; coordination and balance problems; sensations such as numbness, prickling pains or ‘pins and needles’; and memory problems. In some people the disease results in sufferers losing the ability to write, speak, or walk.

Significantly, therefore, there is mounting evidence that a lack of vitamin D may increase the risk of developing multiple sclerosis. Analyzing data on over 14 thousand people suffering from the disease and around 24 thousand without it, a study published in 2015 found that those with a genetic tendency to vitamin D deficiency were twice as likely to develop the neurological disorder. With vitamin D insufficiency now known to be widespread and supplementation being both safe and cost-effective, the researchers stated that their findings may have important public health implications.

To read a case report on the successful control of multiple sclerosis using Dr. Rath’s Cellular Medicine approach, see this article on our website.