| A Canadian study suggests that supplemental | | | | during the study. |
| vitamin D can effectively reduce the rate of | | | | No side effects related to the high dosage of the |
| relapses in multiple sclerosis patients. | | | | vitamin were observed. |
| The University of Toronto study focused on a | | | | The study's authors said it is believed that the |
| group of 40 patients diagnosed with | | | | vitamin works to prevent relapses by suppressing |
| relapsing-remitting MS. Part of the group was | | | | inappropriate autoimmune responses. In typical |
| given a typical 1000 IU dose of the vitamin, while | | | | cases of MS, important immune system cells |
| part was given escalating dosages over six | | | | called T lymphocytes or T cells direct the immune |
| months to a maximum of 40,000 IU per day. The | | | | system to attack the protective sheaths around |
| dosage was then gradually reduced over the | | | | the brain cells. The study showed that T cell |
| following six months, averaging out to a daily | | | | activity dropped markedly among the study |
| dosage of 14,000 IU over the entire year. | | | | participants taking high dosages of the vitamin. No |
| During the 12 months of the study only 16 | | | | similar drop in T cell activity was observed in the |
| percent of those receiving the higher doseage | | | | group taking lower dosages. |
| experienced relapses, while 40 percent those | | | | Though the results of this and other studies |
| receiving the lower dosage experienced relapses. | | | | definitely point to vitamin D as a possible |
| In addition, a comparison of relapse rate before | | | | treatment for MS, researchers note that more |
| and during the study determined that the | | | | clinical trials are required and people should confer |
| high-dosage group experienced 41 percent fewer | | | | with their physicians to determine whether |
| relapses during the study, while the low dosage | | | | supplements of the vitamin might be beneficial. |
| group experienced 17 percent fewer relapses | | | | |