Researchers at Perth's The Kids Research Institute Australia have begun a study that could provide new insights into the role of vitamin D in the risk of multiple sclerosis (MS).
The research has been funded by a $180,000 project grant from Multiple Sclerosis Research Australia.
Study leader Professor Robyn Lucas said the study could also help identify the form of vitamin D that may be of greatest benefit when provided as a supplement to people at high risk of multiple sclerosis.
"Many research studies from around the world have shown that people with multiple sclerosis, or at high risk of developing multiple sclerosis, have lower vitamin D levels than their healthy peers," Professor Lucas said.
"In reality, we do not measure vitamin D levels, or the active part of vitamin D in the blood - we measure an intermediate chemical because there is more of it, it is easier to measure, and the levels fluctuate less rapidly than the active form of vitamin D."
"In this study, we will use new assays that have only recently become available, to measure many different types of vitamin D - the active form of vitamin D, other forms of vitamin D, and the freely circulating vitamin D - in blood samples from people who have had symptoms suggestive of multiple sclerosis, and other people of the same age and sex who have no signs of MS.
"We will see whether there is more (or less) of any particular type of vitamin D in one group than the other. This will tell us which form of vitamin D we should measure and which is most strongly linked to risk of MS.
"MS is becoming more common in childhood, so it is important for us to understand the risk factors for it as a disease and look at ways we can lower the risk of the development of MS."
Professor Lucas said this new study builds on a case control study completed some time ago that looked at risk factors for multiple sclerosis. Analysed data from that study showed that low sun exposure and low vitamin D are risk factors for MS.
"The vitamin D effect was fairly modest," she said, "but a recent study suggested that we should measure a different type of vitamin D and that's what we'll do with this grant from Multiple Sclerosis Research Australia."
Professor Lucas says this work is not only important for people with MS but also those with other similar autoimmune diseases, particularly type 1 diabetes and inflammatory bowel diseases. The Kids has ongoing research projects on both type 1 diabetes and inflammatory bowel diseases in relation to vitamin D and sun exposure.
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