Low levels of vitamin D in the blood puts a person at higher risk of developing multiple sclerosis, a new study finds.
While there have been previous studies showing link between vitamin D deficiency and multiple sclerosis, researchers from McGill University in Montreal led by Brent Richards said that the latest study appearing in PLOS Medicine is the first to show that the deficiency increases the risk of developing the disease.
Richards and colleagues analyzed the connection of people who are genetically prone to vitamin D deficiency and the chances of developing multiple sclerosis from a group of 14,498 individuals who have the disease and 24,091 healthy individuals serving as the control.
The team found that those individuals who are genetically vitamin D deficient have doubled risk of having multiple sclerosis, a disorder usually diagnosed in those who are between 20 and 50 years old.
However, according to Richards, the study does not directly show that vitamin D deficiency will cause multiple sclerosis; the study only showed the association, which could also be brought about by other several factors.
The researchers are already testing if giving vitamin D supplements can lower the risk, BBC reported.
For those who think they are not getting enough vitamin D from sunlight exposure or through diet, the experts advise medical consult as taking too much vitamin D supplement also has some disadvantages.
Multiple sclerosis is a disorder of the central nervous system that can incapacitate an individual. It occurs when there is an interruption in the flow of information to the brain, as well as those that take place between the brain and body.
The disease is also known to cause impaired vision, extreme fatigue, loss of balance, sensory changes, and memory and concentration difficulties, among others.
According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, there's an estimated 2.3 million individuals worldwide who suffer from the disease.
