A Canadian study suggests that supplemental vitamin D can effectively reduce the rate of relapses in multiple sclerosis patients.

The University of Toronto study focused on a group of 40 patients diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS. Part of the group was given a typical 1000 IU dose of the vitamin, while part was given escalating dosages over six months to a maximum of 40,000 IU per day. The dosage was then gradually reduced over the following six months, averaging out to a daily dosage of 14,000 IU over the entire year.

During the 12 months of the study only 16 percent of those receiving the higher doseage experienced relapses, while 40 percent those receiving the lower dosage experienced relapses. In addition, a comparison of relapse rate before and during the study determined that the high-dosage group experienced 41 percent fewer relapses during the study, while the low dosage group experienced 17 percent fewer relapses during the study.

No side effects related to the high dosage of the vitamin were observed.

The study’s authors said it is believed that the vitamin works to prevent relapses by suppressing inappropriate autoimmune responses. In typical cases of MS, important immune system cells called T lymphocytes or T cells direct the immune system to attack the protective sheaths around the brain cells. The study showed that T cell activity dropped markedly among the study participants taking high dosages of the vitamin. No similar drop in T cell activity was observed in the group taking lower dosages.

Though the results of this and other studies definitely point to vitamin D as a possible treatment for MS, researchers note that more clinical trials are required and people should confer with their physicians to determine whether supplements of the vitamin might be beneficial.