Treat MS with vitamin A - 2016 PubMed research 2 new studies

Note: You may want to have your Doctor test your vitamin A levels. You may very well be deficient. True vitamin A is hard to find in food. Your vitamin supplement probably lists vitamin A as carotene, but carotene has to be converted to A in the body which may only convert from 0-3%. You may end up having to take supplementation of retinyl palmitate knwon as dry A, or eating liver.
Also you will need to watch your vitamin D level as A and D are required in a ratio by the body. Further, remember A is stored in the body and too much leads to toxicity so you need to read up on this. Now check out the good news for those with MS:

Mol Neurosci. 2016 Jun 29. [Epub ahead of print]
The Molecular Mechanisms of Vitamin A Deficiency in Multiple Sclerosis.
Reza Dorosty-Motlagh A1, Mohammadzadeh Honarvar N2, Sedighiyan M3, Abdolahi M4.
Author information
Abstract
Vitamin A, considered to be an essential nutrient, has important actions in immunological responses and the central nervous system (CNS). Neuroimmunological functions of vitamin A are mediated through its active metabolite, retinoic acid (RA). In the CNS, RA contributes to regeneration and plasticity, while also playing a key role in enhancing tolerance and reducing inflammatory responses by regulating T cell, B cell and dendritic cell populations. However, evidence has indicated lower plasma levels of vitamin A in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Vitamin A deficiency leads to dysregulation of immune tolerance and pathogenic immune cell production in this disease. Vitamin A may ameliorate MS pathogenesis through numerous mechanisms including a reduction in inflammatory processes by re-establishing the balance between pathogenic (Th1, Th17, Th9) and immunoprotective cells (Th2, Tregs), modulating B cell and dendritic cell function as well as increasing tolerance of autoimmunity and regeneration in the CNS. Thus, the results from the current review suggest that vitamin A can be considered as a potential treatment in MS disease management.
KEYWORDS:
Immune system; Immunopathogenesis; Multiple sclerosis; Vitamin A

PMID:
27356515
DOI:
10.1007/s12031-016-0781-0

Vitamin A significantly improves fatigue/depression in MS - 2016‏


Iran J Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2016 Feb;15(1):13-9.
Effect of Vitamin A Supplementation on fatigue and depression in Multiple Sclerosis patients: A Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial.
Bitarafan S1, Saboor-Yaraghi A2, Sahraian MA3, Soltani D1, Nafissi S4, Togha M5, Beladi Moghadam N6, Roostaei T7, Mohammadzadeh Honarvar N2, Harirchian MH8.
Author information
Abstract
Decreasing the population and activation of inflammatory T helper cells in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients using vitamin A derivatives (retinoic acids) has been well documented. The present study determined the effect of vitamin A supplementation on psychiatric signs in MS patients. The subjects were 101 relapsing-remitting MS patients enrolled in a placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial. The treatment group was administered 25000 IU/d retinyl palmitate (RP) for 6 months followed by 10000 IU/d RP for another 6 months. The results for baseline characteristics, modified fatigue impact scale and Beck Depression Inventory-II were recorded at the beginning and end of the one-year study. The non-normal distribution data was compared between groups using a nonparametric test and normal distribution data was analyzed using a parametric test. (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifiers: NCT01417273). The results showed significant improvement in the treatment group for fatigue (p=0.004) and depression (p=0.01). Vitamin A supplementation helped during interferon therapy in the treatment process and improved psychiatric outcomes for anti-inflammatory mechanisms.
KEYWORDS:
Depression; Fatigue; Multiple sclerosis; Vitamin A

PMID:
26996107

[PubMed - in process]

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True vitamin A deficiency with symptoms present is extremely rare in western countries, I would say it's one of the least likely vitamins to be deficient in. I briefly tried a high-dose vitamin A supplement without much benefit, got liver pain from it and had to stop in a week.

 

I'm pretty sure that there's a genetic variant related to the ability to either use Vit A or convert it to usable form. Would be interesting to know if it's more common in MS patients. And whether the vit D sups that are already recommended impact the ratio mentioned above.

 

JES, perhaps you regularly eat eggs, cheese and full fat dairy products which are some of the few foods that have true preformed vitamin A, not carotene. Liver has the most true A. If you consume these foods then you may not be at risk. Your experience is exactly why I recommend getting a test of your vitamin A levels.
However, many people do not eat eggs or full fat dairy due to concerns about being over weight, cholesterol, "bad" fats, lactose intolerance, etc. These folks could have a real vitamin A deficiency. Since vitamin A is stored within the body over consumption can cause toxicity and that concern is precisely what caused the mainstream switch to carotene in dietary and supplement recommendations. Unfortunately this means that vitamin A deficiency is never thought of since the operating presumption is that we automatically get enough, and screening for this possibility is not thought of unless the patient requests it.

 

Where is there info about the A/D ratio? I have that genetic variant with vitamin A. I've been working on raising my D levels, as well as my A, so that would be great to know!