Vitamin D helps control MS gene

[Warpy]

A UK and Canadian team found that vitamin D helps to control a gene known to increase MS risk, the PLoS Genetics journal reports.

It suggests that vitamin D supplements taken during pregnancy and early in life could prevent the disease.
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The researchers found that proteins activated by vitamin D in the body bind to a particular DNA sequence next to the gene, altering its function.

They believe that vitamin D deficiency in mothers or even in a previous generation may lead to altered expression of the gene in their offspring.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7871598.stm

[MannyGoldstein]

1. Good Stuff

It's been known for years that incidence of MS is inversely proportional to distance from the equator during early years. People who grow up at the equator have less than 10% of the risk vs. folks who grow up in Canada. It's good to see a mechanism that jibes with this observation.

What surprises me is that almost nobody realized until recently that our newfound fear of the sun might wreck havoc due to a tremendous drop in vitamin D production.

[pleah]

2. It always amazes me when they find out that a simple vitamin

can do so much.

[Warpy]

3. Note that it needs to be taken during pregnancy

Folic acid was also such a vitamin, preventing neural tube birth defects like spina bifida.

[pleah]

4. Yes.

:)

[LeftishBrit]

5. Very interesting study!

I suspect that the role of prenatal nutrition in health and disease is often greatly underestimated.

[Why Syzygy]

6. kick

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