Hi Rita
I think you’re probably asking a lot of questions here.
There is some information about 3 specific hormones that rise during pregnancy and drop fairly significantly in the post partum period. These are two forms of estrogen: estradiol and estriol; progesterone and Vitamin D 3.
Estriol
An article in 2002 entitled
Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis with the Pregnancy Hormone Estriol,
abstract here, describes a very small Phase I study in women with RRMS and SPMS. With respect to women with RRMS given a “pregnancy dose” of estriol, 8 mg/day, the study states:
Although this is a small trial on a very limited number of RR patients, it is noteworthy that the degree of improvement in enhancing lesions in this study was within the realm of what has been observed previously for the four approved treatments in much larger trials.
Paced auditory serial addition (PASAT) cognitive testing was also measured in the study.
PASAT cognitive testing scores were significantly improved in the RR group (p = 0.04), but not in the SP group.
Subsequent data analysis from this study also suggested estriol may be neuroprotective.
Progesterone
There is some mice research that suggests progesterone (also elevated in pregnancy) is neuroprotective and “promyelinating”. A couple of quotes from an abstract entitled
]Local synthesis and dual actions of progesterone in the nervous system: neuroprotection and myelinationAlthough there are only a few studies addressing the biological significance of PROG synthesis in the brain, the autocine/paracrine actions of locally synthesized PROG are likely to play an important role in the viability of neurons and in the formation of myelin sheaths……..PROG may exert its neuroprotective effects by regulating expression of specific genes in neurons and glial cells, which may become hormone sensitive after injury…..Local synthesis of PROG in the brain and the neuroprotective and promyelinating effects of this neurosteroid offer interesting therapeutic possibilities for the prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, for accelerating regenerative processes and for preserving cognitive functions during aging.
Another interesting abstract which highlights progesterone is entitled
Steroid synthesis and metabolism in the nervous system: Trophic and protective effects
Europeans are in the process of initiating a study of progestin in women with RRMS.
Guys, I know you probably feel left out, but there is at least a
study (not MS related at all) that concludes:
Progesterone may be a more important steroid hormone in men than previously believed.
Vitamin D 3
I’ll leave information about this to people who have studied this much more than I have. I have read that Vitamin D 3 is also elevated during pregnancy and drops in the post partum period.
This is all to say that 3 hormones that are elevated in pregnancy and drop after delivery: estriol, progesterone, and Vitamin D 3, may be beneficial in the management of MS. Progesterone may be particular helpful in the formation of myelin sheaths.
I hope this helps.
Sharon (who had no progesterone at the age of 57
)