Research has shown that maintaining enough vitamin D in the body may lower the risk of multiple sclerosis (MS). Several studies have shown that people who get more sun exposure and vitamin D in their diets are less likely to have MS .
Sunlight exposure may reduce the severity of multiple sclerosis (MS) in certain patients, according to a recent study published in PNAS. The study builds on evidence that has demonstrated sunlight exposure to be a risk factor for MS development.
Is the sun good for multiple sclerosis patients? Sunlight exposure is associated with a lower risk of developing multiple sclerosis and has also been shown to reduce disease severity in people with the condition.
[1] Sunlight exposure and reduced Vitamin D 3 levels independently contribute to MS risk. The effect of sunlight exposure is supported by decreased signs of actinic skin damage found in MS patients compared to controls.
Many people with MS experience a temporary worsening of their symptoms when the weather is very hot or humid, or when they run a fever. These temporary changes can result from even a slight elevation in core body temperature (one-quarter to one-half of a degree).
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.
MS damages the protective sheath around nerve cells in your brain and spinal cord. This slows down nerve signals, so your body doesn't always respond the way it should. Heat can slow these signals even more. MS can also affect the part of your brain that controls your body's temperature.
MS symptoms that tend to be a greater problem at night include: Muscle spasms and stiffness: Movement throughout the day can help to loosen muscles and bring relief, but they get worse again during sleep when they are still.
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.
Research has shown that maintaining enough vitamin D in the body may lower the risk of multiple sclerosis (MS). Several studies have shown that people who get more sun exposure and vitamin D in their diets are less likely to have MS .
The current recommendation is to order serum 25-OH D (Vit D 25 hydroyx). 25-Hydroxyvitamin D is the major form found in the blood. It has a longer half life and concentration than 1,25 OH-D.
In short, good hand-washing combined with exercise, fresh air, stress reduction, and a good night's sleep will go further in protecting you from illness than taking supplements that boost your immune system and, in so doing, also have the potential to trigger an MS flare-up.
Modafinil (Provigil)
This drug is usually used to treat narcolepsy, a sleep disorder which causes people to sleep excessively during the day. But it might help with MS fatigue too.
MS causes nerves to lose their myelin sheath, making them more vulnerable to heat and temperature changes. Heat exposure can cause or heighten fatigue, numbness, blurry vision, tremor, confusion, imbalance, and weakness. This is a pseudo-exacerbation as symptoms typically dissipate once the body is cooled.
MS temperature sensitivity is primarily driven by temperature-dependent slowing or blocking of neural conduction within the CNS due to changes in internal (core) temperature; yet changes in skin temperature could also contribute to symptom exacerbation (e.g. during sunlight and warm ambient exposure).
Despite having a similar core temperature to those without MS while resting and exercising, people with MS show a significantly reduced sweat response.
Ocrelizumab (Ocrevus).
It also slows the progression of the primary-progressive form of multiple sclerosis. This humanized monoclonal antibody medication is the only DMT approved by the FDA to treat both the relapse-remitting and primary-progressive forms of MS .
Now, a study led by Stanford Medicine researchers has proved that the Epstein-Barr virus, a common type of herpes virus, triggers multiple sclerosis by priming the immune system to attack the body's own nervous system.
Many people with MS find that their symptoms get worse in the heat. This can be triggered by hot baths, the sun, or exercise. The effects of heat are temporary, but heat sensitivity can be extremely unpleasant.
Studies show that certain ethnic groups have a markedly lower prevalence of multiple sclerosis, despite living in countries where MS is common. For instance, the Sami or Lapps of northern Scandinavia and the Inuits in Canada have very low rates of MS. A similar pattern is observed amongst the Maoris of New Zealand.
Although a steamy soak may be tempting to help ease muscle stiffness or nerve pain, hot temperatures can actually worsen MS symptoms, even if temporarily.