How To Virtually Eliminate Your Risk Of Rheumatoid Arthritis or MS

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How To Virtually Eliminate Your Risk Of Rheumatoid Arthritis or MS http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2004/01/31/vitamin-d-benefits-part-one.aspx 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):60-5Arthritis & Rheumatism January, 2004;50(1):72-7