Study calls for maternal vitamin D supplementation to reduce Multiple Sclerosis risk

FAB RESEARCH COMMENT:

This systematic review and meta-analysis shows a significant association between multiple sclerosis and month of birth, with children born in April being at highest risk, and those born in October at lowest risk. Data on over 150,000 patients with MS were included. 

Maternal Vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy could plausibly account for this link - because

1) Exposure of the skin to strong sunshine is the main source of Vitamin D.  Indoor lifestyles mean that Vitamin D deficiencies and insufficiencies are remarkably common in the general population in the UK and many other countries all year round. However, they are particularly pronounced in the winter months in countries at latitudes like the UK, Northern America and Canada, or Scandinavia.

2) Vitamin D plays a key role in healthy immune function - and deficiencies of Vitamin D are associated with many different disorders of immune regulation, including Multiple Sclerosis and other autoimmune diseases. 

However, association studies like this one can never provide definitive evidence of a causal effect of Vitamin D deficiency, and so - just as with the abundant evidence linking season or month of birth with schizophrenia - sceptics can always be found to highlight possible confounding factors. 

The key question really is how much more evidence is needed before some effective public health measures are taken to reduce the high rates of Vitamin D deficiency in the UK? 

The authors of this study are by no means the first to call for Vitamin D supplementation of all pregnant mothers - and other vulnerable groups - and/or to adopt basic public health measures such as fortification of staple foods to reduce Vitamin D deficiencies in the general population.

For details of this research study, see:

• Dobson et al 2012, The month of birth effect in multiple sclerosis: systematic review, meta-analysis and effect of latitude

See also:

• Scotland's Poor Health 'caused by a lack of sunshine'

And for another recent news article on the importance of Vitamin D in pregnancy to healthy brain development, see:

• Maternal vitamin D backed to help build better baby brain

For more news and research relevant to this topic, please bookmark the following lists, which are frequently updated.

• Vitamin D in Mothers and Infants - News

• Vitamin D in Mothers and Infants - Research

• Multiple Sclerosis - News

• Multiple sclerosis - Research