How To Virtually Eliminate Your Risk Of Rheumatoid Arthritis or MS

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http://www.mercola.com/2004/jan/31/vitamin_d_benefits.htm

 

How To Virtually Eliminate Your Risk Of Rheumatoid Arthritis or MS

 

Researchers have found women who eat a diet rich in vitamin D may reduce

their chances of developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and multiple sclerosis

(MS). Two studies involving women have shown proof of the vitamin's

benefits.

 

The RA study followed 29,368 women aged 55 to 69 years, and the MS study

looked at more than 185,000 women. The participants were given

questionnaires to fill out about their dietary habits and vitamin D intake

at the beginning of each study, and researchers followed up with the women

every four years for up to 20 years. They discovered that women were 30

percent less likely to develop RA, and 40 percent less likely to develop MS,

when taking the recommended daily amount or more of vitamin D.

 

Out of 100 people worldwide, one or two will develop RA and around 0.04

percent have MS. Both of these conditions are thought to occur when the

body’s immune system turns against itself. Researchers suggest that vitamin

D may work by calming overactive immune cells.

 

Responding to this study, vitamin D experts advise future researchers

studying vitamin D levels to administer a blood test to read the levels more

accurately, and cautioned that this study did not use the best way to

determine vitamin D levels in the participants.

 

Neurology January, 2004 13;62(1):60-5

 

Arthritis & Rheumatism January, 2004;50(1):72-7

Dr. Mercola's Comment:

 

Unfortunately, I believe this study was relatively poorly done as they only

used dietary forms to determine vitamin D intake. They found that higher

intake of total daily vitamin D, both dietary and supplemental, was

associated with the risk of RA and MS. They did not measure vitamin D blood

levels, which is critical as sun exposure, not diet, is the most important

source of vitamin D. In fact, in breastfeeding women, the only vitamin that

is given to infants in the winter is vitamin D, as it is not transferred in

breast milk. To me that is powerful evidence that God planned us to receive

our vitamin D from the sun, not from food.

 

While the researchers in this study have not measured vitamin D levels, I

have seen several hundred patients with rheumatoid arthritis in the last two

years, and I have measured their levels. I have yet to analyze the results,

but I cannot recall any RA patients who had normal levels of vitamin D. In

fact, it is so consistent that I immediately start any new patient who comes

in with RA on supplemental vitamin D, in addition to vitamin D in cod liver

oil. Everyone starts on cod liver oil, which is a source of both necessary

omega-3 fats and vitamin D. But in RA patients I use up to an additional

10,000 units per day on top of the vitamin D in the cod liver oil to bring

their levels up.

 

RA is an autoimmune disease, just like MS, and both conditions are thought

to occur when the body's immune system turns against itself. Most all RA

patients at this time of year have blood levels of vitamin D below 20. When

using vitamin D doses as high as the ones I mentioned above, it is critical

to measure vitamin D levels to prevent vitamin D toxicity. Normalizing

vitamin D levels, starting omega-3 fats, and eliminating sugar are, without

question, the three most important physical elements of normalizing

autoimmune diseases like RA and MS.

 

Related Articles:

 

Nearly One Third of Rheumatoid Arthritis Severe After 20 Years

 

Helpful Tools for Rheumatoid Arthritis

 

New Improvement to Rheumatoid Arthritis Protocol

 

Rheumatoid Arthritis Increases Risk of Death

 

Why You Need to Have Your Vitamin D Level Tested Now

 

Vitamin D For MS Patients

 

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