Researchers Shed Light on Anti-inflammatory Effects of Vitamin D Supplements in MS
Vitamin D supplements promote a shift toward an anti-inflammatory state in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) through an increase of two key molecules, IL-27 and TGF-beta 1, a study shows.
These findings add another level of regulation to a previous model linking the intake of vitamin D supplements with higher levels of anti-inflammatory molecules and lower levels of pro-inflammatory molecules in MS patients. These vitamin D-induced molecular changes now were found to be driven by an increased production of IL-27 and TGF-beta 1.
While the data support the notion that taking vitamin D supplements may ease inflammation and nerve cell damage in MS patients, further studies evaluating the association between these vitamin D-associated molecular changes and clinical parameters in MS patients are needed, the researchers noted.
The results also showed that vitamin D supplements promoted similar, but less pronounced, anti-inflammatory responses in first-degree relatives of MS patients, suggesting that these supplements may be used as an MS preventive approach.
