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A new clinical trial has found that high doses of vitamin D may significantly slow the progression of a neurological disorder known as clinically isolated syndrome (CIS). It is a condition that may look like multiple sclerosis (MS) and may precede MS…
Both MS and CIS are caused by inflammation and damage to the central nervous system, specifically the brain and spinal cord. In MS, the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the myelin sheath, the protective layer that surrounds nerve fibers, leading to communication issues between the brain and the rest of the body. Currently, there is no cure for either condition.
Vitamin D’s Effect on CIS
The research, conducted across 36 MS centers in France, aimed to evaluate the effects of vitamin D supplementation on patients experiencing early signs of the disease, Recently published in JAMA Network, the double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study enrolled 303 participants aged 18 to 55 with low vitamin D and MRI results typical of CIS, a condition that often precedes MS, CIS is characterized by a single episode of neurological symptoms lasting at least 24 hours. These can include vision problems, numbness/tingling, weakness, coordination issues, and bladder/bowel problems.
Patients were treated with either 100,000 international units of vitamin D or a placebo every two weeks for a period of 24 months. The primary outcome measured was the occurrence of disease activity, defined as either a relapse of symptoms or new nerve damage shown on an MRI scan, The findings revealed that only 60.3 percent of participants receiving vitamin D had symptom relapses or further nerve lesions on MRI, compared to 74.1 percent of those receiving the placebo.
Also, the average time between relapses or further lesions were detected was longer for those taking vitamin D—432 days compared to 224 days for those on placebo, Researchers primarily observed a reduction in detected nerve lesions. There was not a significant difference in the rate of relapses between the two groups, meaning that vitamin D did not prevent the return of symptoms.
Vitamin D exerts its effects primarily by calming down the immune system. It affects immune cells’ activity and reduces inflammation in the central nervous system, potentially promoting neuroprotection and regrowth of myelin, fatty tissue that gets destroyed in CIS and MS, The researchers noted that serious adverse events were low and comparable between both groups, with no significant side effects directly related to vitamin D treatment.
