Large Gene Study Supports Link Between Low Vitamin D Levels and Risk of Getting MS
August 27, 2015
Researchers at McGill University reported results of a large-scale study looking at genetic factors that cause vitamin D deficiency and their impact on people’s risks of developing MS. Previous studies have pinpointed low levels of vitamin D as one of the factors that increases an individual’s chance of getting MS. The McGill researchers confirmed that people with gene variations linked to low vitamin D had double the chance of getting MS. It’s not known yet whether taking vitamin D supplements can reduce the risk of developing MS or help treat MS in people who already have the disease.
The National MS Society is supporting a clinical trial to determine whether vitamin D supplements can reduce disease activity in people who already have MS. (How to Participate in this Trial).
Read coverage of the McGill study in Boots WebMD
Read the open-access research paper
Read more about Vitamin D and MS