One study noted young people with MS who took a calcium, vitamin D, and magnesium supplement had a reduced number of relapses.
The recommended daily allowance is 400 mg. For magnesium, the women with MS had average intake of 254 mg, while the healthy women met the recommended daily allowance of 320 mg with an average of 321 mg.
The good news is that some studies (study links, a and b) have identified how magnesium may ease certain symptoms of stress and anxiety. Here are the facts: Magnesium may help to control the chemical messengers (neurotransmitters) in the brain, resulting in a calming effect on the body.
No side effects were reported. MS Clinical Nurse Practitioner Miranda Olding writes on her blog that magnesium can be effective as a relaxant in the nervous system, and so can assist with reducing spasm and nerve pain.
Vitamins that seem of particular interest to people with MS include vitamin D, the antioxidant vitamins, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12. Vitamin D Vitamin D is a hormone, or chemical messenger, in the body.
As with vitamins, herbal supplements may stimulate the immune system; not a good idea with MS. Echinacea, ginseng, CoQ10, gingko biloba, DHEA, and garlic may decrease the effectiveness of your primary medication used to manage MS.
Supplements that boost your immune response — for instance, selenium, copper, and manganese — may worsen autoimmune attacks in MS. Large doses of vitamin E and vitamin C can thin your blood, which may lead to MS complications. Single supplements can contain high doses, making them potentially more dangerous.
The over-stimulated nerves need to be calmed, and this may best be accomplished with anti-epileptic drugs, tricyclic antidepressants, and antispasticity drugs, to treat painful spasticity and spasms.
For many years the advice to people with MS was to avoid exercise as it was thought this could make weakness and fatigue worse. It is now felt that exercise that works on gently building up endurance and strength in muscles is good for reducing weakness and fatigue.
Magnesium is one of the most essential nutrients in the human body. It plays a vital role in nerve regeneration and functional recovery by reducing the inflammation and causing Schwann cell proliferation at the injury site, which increases axonal recovery.
Stress And Anxiety Relief
Magnesium may be the “chill pill” you need. Magnesium plays a role in regulating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis), our stress response system, and deficiencies in the mineral have been shown to induce anxiety and HPA axis dysregulation in an animal model.
Generally speaking, you will find that magnesium supplements start to work after one week of using them. After one week of regular magnesium supplementation, individuals may experience benefits such as improved energy levels, reduced muscle cramps, better sleep quality, and reduced anxiety.
The benefits of magnesium supplementation in healthy individuals aren't clear, but Dr. Nassar says that taking a magnesium supplement every day likely isn't unsafe for most people. Just be sure you're not taking too much magnesium. The maximum dietary allowance for most adults is around 400 mg or less.
Possible triggers include infections and stress, but there may also be no noticeable trigger. Anyone who notices a worsening of symptoms or that new symptoms appear should contact a doctor in case they need additional treatment or monitoring.
Ways to Treat a Flare-Up
The goal is to bring down the inflammation that caused your symptoms. Your doctor will likely prescribe a steroid drug. Steroids curb inflammation and can help you get over a relapse faster.
You can reduce MS symptoms naturally by following a healthy diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods, taking vitamins and minerals, using herbal remedies, engaging in stress management techniques, and exercising regularly.
In addition to taking medication to control your MS symptoms, you may want to consider complementary and alternative treatments. Research is beginning to support the role of some CAM treatments in comprehensive MS care, including vitamin D, exercise, acupuncture, and cooling strategies, notes the NMSS.
Exercise strengthens the muscles that help you walk. It also eases fatigue, boosts mood, and improves quality of life in people with MS. There's even some evidence that strength training might help slow MS damage in the brain. An exercise program for MS includes 150 minutes of "aerobics" each week.
Some people with MS may have only mild symptoms. Others may lose their ability to see clearly, write, speak, or walk when communication between the brain and other parts of the body becomes disrupted. Myelin is the fatty tissue that surrounds and protects nerve fibers. In MS, the myelin is destroyed in many areas.
MS patients tend 13-NEU-545 to stay out of the sunlight because of heat sensitivity further increasing the risk for Vitamin D deficiency. 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.
It isn't completely clear how supplements may affect MS, but they are thought to have an anti-inflammatory effect, a restorative effect on myelin, or both. The three with the most scientific support for this use are biotin, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids.