4 ms·

multiple sclerosis is more prevalent in areas with less sun (basically in the north, since not many people live at low southern latitudes). i have ms and vitam

multiple sclerosis is more prevalent in areas with less sun (basically in the north, since not many people live at low southern latitudes). i have ms and vitamin d is suspected to be important in reducing the chance of suffering from that disease (it's an immunomodulator - has some connection with your immune system - and ms is basically your immune system attacking your own nerves). other risk factors include being a woman, and having had glandular fever or chickenpox (or both). i am prescribed quite high doses (about double what i see as recommended for supplements). i understand that, along with the medication i take, it helps reduce further outbreaks. i found it kind of weird that this kind of knowledge is still ongoing research. seems like the kind of thing people would have worked out by now. anyway, consider getting a little sun each day (according to http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Summerhealth/Pages/vitamin-D-sunlight.aspx http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Summerhealth/Pages/vitamin-D-sunl... you don't need long), and maybe a supplement in winter, if you're in the north.

CasimirCelerity 13y ago
The epidemiology of MS is incredibly interesting. There's three groups of people with low rates of MS: 1) People born in northern latitude areas (europe, USA), who then move at a young age close to the equator. 2) People who live their whole lives in an area close to the equator 3) People who were born and raised in areas close to the equator then moved to northern latitudes in adulthood. Compare to people who are more suspectible to MS: 1) People are born in areas close to the equator then move at an early age to northern latitudes 2) People who live their whole lives in northern latitudes 3) People who live their childhood in northern latitudes then move to the equator. So there is a correlation between growing up, regardless of what happens in adulthood, near the equator (maybe from Vit D dosage) and having a lower risk for MS. Cool stuff.

CasimirCelerity 13y ago

The epidemiology of MS is incredibly interesting. There's three groups of people with low rates of MS: 1) People born in northern latitude areas (europe, USA), who then move at a young age close to the equator. 2) People who live their whole lives in an area close to the equator 3) People who were born and raised in areas close to the equator then moved to northern latitudes in adulthood. Compare to people who are more suspectible to MS: 1) People are born in areas close to the equator then move at an early age to northern latitudes 2) People who live their whole lives in northern latitudes 3) People who live their childhood in northern latitudes then move to the equator. So there is a correlation between growing up, regardless of what happens in adulthood, near the equator (maybe from Vit D dosage) and having a lower risk for MS. Cool stuff.