April 28, 2009 (Seattle) — High doses of vitamin D dramatically cut the relapse rate in people with multiple sclerosis, a study shows.

Sixteen percent of 25 people with multiple sclerosis (MS) given an average of 14,000 international units (IU) of vitamin D a day for a year suffered relapses, says Jodie Burton, MD, a neurologist at the University of Toronto. In contrast, close to 40% of 24 MS patients who took an average of 1,000 IU a day — the amount recommended by many MS specialists — relapsed, she says.

Also, people taking high-dose vitamin D suffered 41% fewer relapses than the year before the study began, compared with 17% of those taking typical doses.

Interestingly enough…. the Neurology meeting is in Seattle. My Neurologist’s office is completely off and you are suppose to go to the ER if you need care. I hope the rest of the country has some Neurologists still at the office.

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The risk of cancer (overall and specifically including cancers of the stomach, pancreas, lung, ovary, prostate, and lymphoma) was reduced by about 10% in people with MS compared to controls, particularly among women. However, the investigators also found that the risk of brain tumors and urinary cancers was increased, noting the possibility that some of this may relate to the increased surveillance and diagnostic workups such as MRI that people with MS are more likely to have compared to those without MS, There were no increased or decreased cancer risks for parents of people with MS compared with parents of controls, arguing against any simple inherited characteristic.

Like brain cancer is any different than MS anyway… puleeease.

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Among the multiple sclerosis patients, the researchers found that the rate of postpartum relapse was significantly lower among those who breast-fed exclusively for at least two months compared to those who did not breast-feed or began regular supplemental feedings within two months postpartum (36 percent versus 87 percent). Although most of the women who avoided breast-feeding did so in order to resume multiple sclerosis therapy, the researchers found that the risk of relapse was significantly higher among those who restarted therapy within two months postpartum than in those who did not, regardless of breast-feeding status. They also found that exclusive breast-feeding was associated with a later return of menses.

That’s what I said!

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Very interesting article out today on vitamin D! Just a snippet:

Vitamin D seems to help control a gene known to increase the risk of multiple sclerosis — a finding that suggests taking vitamin D supplements during pregnancy and early in life may help prevent the disease.

“I think it’s the first time that the environment and genetics are brought together, this is something that links the two,” Dr. George Ebers, a Canadian who is based at the University of Oxford in London, told CBC News.

“It’s saying that the environmental factor, which is everybody’s favourite at the moment, which is vitamin D, directly interacts with the gene region … that has the biggest effect on your MS risk.”

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I decided to do some research on breastfeeding with Copaxone. The expert in medications and breastfeeding is Dr. Thomas Hale from Texas Tech University Medical School. He does research studies on breast milk with different medications to determine if they are safe. Every year he publishes a book on breastfeeding and medicine. So another words, he is the expert in this area.

He has a message board which is open to everyone to read and only medical professionals to post. He has researched Copaxone and breast milk. He *believes* it is safe to breastfeed while on Copaxone! I am not sure what medical professionals would say. I forgot to ask my doc the last time I was there but anyway,

The reason he thinks Copaxone is safe is that it is a large molecule that is unlikely to enter the breast milk. Copaxone is also NOT orally bio-available which I think we are all very aware of. He also says “large peptide antigenically similar to myelin basic protein. I can’t imagine that even if microscopic amounts were absorbed, it would harm an infant.”

It is a calculated risk but very low considering all the other risks in your life. Talk with your doc and stuff but I’d do it (again family, no crazy ideas here).

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