Vitamin D and Sunshine May Lower Risk of MS

People with higher levels of vitamin D in their bodies appear to be at lower risk of developing multiple sclerosis. This isn’t the first time that scientists have made a link between vitamin D and this neurological condition. In this research, Australian scientists studied 200 adults with a new diagnosis of MS. They were matched to 400 other Australians who did not have MS. The MS patients had much lower levels of skin damage due to sun exposure as well as vitamin D levels that were up to 10 percent lower. They had been exposed to less ultraviolet light from sunshine over the course of their lives. This research does not establish cause and effect, but it adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that sun exposure may have some protective activity for the nervous system even though it may damage the skin.
[Neurology, Feb. 8, 2011]