In 2015 scientists demonstrated a clear link between low vitamin D and MS. They found that people who naturally had lower levels of vitamin D (because of their genetics) were more likely to develop MS. Researchers in Oxford have also discovered that vitamin D could affect the way a gene linked to MS behaves.
There have been studies that suggest Vitamin D deficiency may play a role in immune system function and the development of auto immune disorders such as Multiple Sclerosis.
A vitamin B12 deficiency can cause MS-like symptoms, says Conway. These symptoms can include fatigue, mental confusion, and numbness and tingling in the hands and feet. That's because vitamin B12 plays a role in the metabolism of fatty acids needed to maintain the myelin sheath.
You need vitamin B12 to help maintain your nerves' myelin sheath. If you are deficient in vitamin B12 you can get symptoms that are similar to some of the symptoms of MS, such as fatigue, weakness, numbness or tingling and problems with memory.
High doses of other vitamins can antagonize your immune-modulating, immunosuppressive therapies used to manage MS. Supplements that stimulate the immune system should be avoided in high doses. Those include selenium, zinc, B1, B2, folic acid, B6, vitamin A, biotin, magnesium, copper, and manganese.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) triggers that worsen symptoms or cause a relapse can include stress, heart disease and smoking. While some are easier to avoid than others, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and overall health and wellness can have outsized benefits for MS patients.
Vitamin C is known to participate in myelin formation (10, 11). Collagen synthesis, which is dependent on Vitamin C, has also been linked to the formation of myelin sheath (12, 13). Vitamin C can be found in foods such as peppers, citrus fruits, green leafy vegetables, broccoli, tomatoes, and berries.
These data suggested that vitamin B12 increased the level of MBP, which plays vital roles in the myelination process and the appropriate formation of myelin thickness and compactness. Meanwhile, LFB staining showed that vitamin B12 restored myelin by reducing the vacuolar changes in the myelin sheath after TBI.
Numbness of the face, body, or extremities (arms and legs) is often the first symptom experienced by those eventually diagnosed as having MS.
A wide range of conditions can be mistaken for MS, including: migraine, cerebral small vessel disease, fibromyalgia, functional neurological disorders, and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders, along with uncommon inflammatory, infectious and metabolic conditions (1, 3).
However, a recent meta-analysis concluded that vitamin D supplementation (low or high dose) did not significantly affect disability and relapse rate in MS patients during treatment [63].
Another Mendelian randomization on a large population found that vitamin D deficiency could be the cause of MS, independent of other established risk factors27. More recent studies revealed that variations in vitamin D-related genes could cause lower vitamin D levels and MS risk28,29.
A lack of vitamin B12 can cause neurological problems, which affect your nervous system, such as: vision problems. memory loss. pins and needles (paraesthesia)
A lack of B12 may lead to depression, confusion, memory problems, and dementia. It also can affect your balance. B12 supplements are usually safe.
Bananas also contain fibre and potassium. It helps manage blood pressure, reduce stress, and relieve constipation and ulcer problems. The fruit also helps regulate body temperature. Another fruit that is rich in vitamin B12 is blueberries.
Myelin is repaired or replaced by special cells in the brain called oligodendrocytes. These cells are made from a type of stem cell found in the brain, called oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs). And then the damage can be repaired.
Abnormal immune reaction believed to attack myelin
In MS, an abnormal immune system response produces inflammation in the central nervous system. This process: Damages/destroys myelin and oligodendrocytes. Causes damage to the underlying nerve fiber.
High-fat diet in combination with exercise training increases myelin protein expression. PLP and MBP levels were highest in the group that exercised and consumed a high-fat diet. Exercise training or high fat consumption alone also increased PLP.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a potentially disabling disease of the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system). In MS , the immune system attacks the protective sheath (myelin) that covers nerve fibers and causes communication problems between your brain and the rest of your body.
Boston, MA – Multiple sclerosis (MS), a progressive disease that affects 2.8 million people worldwide and for which there is no definitive cure, is likely caused by infection with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), according to a study led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health researchers.
Multiple sclerosis is caused by your immune system mistakenly attacking the brain and nerves. It's not clear why this happens but it may be a combination of genetic and environmental factors.