For the first time, a clinical trial has displayed that taking high doses of vitamin D can slow the progression of multiple sclerosis.
In general, taking too much vitamin D Can be dangerousHowever, high doses in the new test were taken under controlled conditions, under the supervision of medical staff, and by patients for whom it was considered safe.
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease Affects brain and spinal cordWith disease, Immune cells Mistake by accidentally attacks the protective layer around the nerve fibers, making the wound, or scar tissue. It leads to such symptoms like Muscle weakness, vision change, numbness and memory problemsWho Can either come and go Or spoil over time.
There is no cure for MS. Existing drugs can help patients manage their symptoms, but these drugs often occur Bad side effectsSuch as the risk of infection and gastrointestinal issues increases.
Connected: Twin studies reveal MS signals that may be detected before symptoms
Studies show that vitamin D deficiency is a possible risk factor for MS. This is because vitamin D can reduce Swelling In the central nervous system In many ways – For example, by Prevent the release of chemical messengers From immune cells that trigger inflammatory reactions. Thus, the principle is that being very low vitamin D can allow fugitive inflammation.
The link between low vitamin D and multiple sclerosis was earlier identified in the 1960sStill, in years, various clinical trials It is tried to show that taking high doses of vitamin D can help reduce patients’ symptoms or progression of the disease.
The previous tests may fail as they included very few participants and monitored patients for a short time as only one year, such as one year, said Dr. Eric thwenotThe new clinical testing co-Leid and a neurologist at the University of Montpelier in France. Previous tests also tested vitamin D supplementation in patients who were already taking drugs to manage their MS, they told live science. This made it difficult to determine how effective Vitamin D was, in itself.
To remove these obstacles, Thouvenot and colleagues took a different view in their new test.
He saw the effects of high dose vitamin D supplementation in 303 patients Clinically isolated syndrome (CIS)CIS describes that when patients have early signs that are thoughtful of multiple sclerosis, but they have not yet developed complete disease and do not meet clinical norms. CIS signals include inflammation and damage to the protective layer around the nerve fibers.
Although it has not been given that CIS will progress in multiple sclerosis, this is the case About 85% MS patients,
Patients in the test had yet not started taking other medicines for multiple sclerosis, so researchers had a window in which they could directly examine the effects of vitamin D completion on the progression of their illness.
During the test, the team randomly called 156 of the patients to take a form of vitamin D to take high-cost of vitamin D. He supplemented once every two weeks for two years, or unless they show MS symptoms or new or growing wounds during medical visits. These trips occurred three months after the complement started, out a year out and then two years out, and they included brain and spinal scan and MS symptoms assessment.
If the disease activity was detected, patients will be removed from the test and immediately prescribed the disease-propelled drugs, which means that drugs that target the root causes of MS and reduce symptoms.
According to a report of the test published on 10 March in the journal, a comparison group of 147 patients passed through the same protocol, but took a dummy drug instead of vitamin D. Jama,
The dosage received by the vitamin D group was 100,000 international units, which is about 20 times more General drug store dose Per doses are included.
Overall, researchers found that the Placebo group had a disease activity in 60% of the vitamin D group within a two -year study window compared to 74%. The time it took to emerge the symptoms, compared to 224 days, was also much longer in the former group compared to about 432 days.
Together, these findings show that the initial supplementation with high dose vitamin D can help slow the progression of CIS for multiple sclerosis.
This is “important research” and supports the use of high-cost vitamin D by patients with multiple sclerosis, Dr. Klaus shamierA professor of neurology at Queen Mary University in London who was not involved in the new trial. Many doctors already recommend such supplements, Schmier told live science in an email.
Many doctors recommend that MS patients take Between 4,000 and 5,000 international units Vitamin D every day. Any more than this can cause a condition called hyper circlesimia, in which Excess calcium is produced in the bodyBecause vitamin D usually controls the level of this mineral in tissues. Hyperakasimia can weaken bones and potentially cause kidney and heart damage.
Despite exceeding the recommended range for vitamin D complement, any of the new tests, which developed hypercashimia to vitamin D. It indicated that this high dose could be safe in this context, and in particular, participants supplemented twice a month instead of daily.
However, eventually, more tests are required to confirm these findings.
In addition, the purpose of this research will not be to change the current disease-propelled drugs for MS, but will provide another therapeutic option for patients who do not have access to drugs otherwise, for example, due to financial reasons, Thwnot insisted.
