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Aberdeen scientists have found that artificial sunlight can have a “striking effect” in helping treat sufferers of diseases such as multiple sclerosis.

Researchers from Aberdeen University studied patients in the north of Scotland – which has the highest rate of MS in the UK - who were being treated during winter with artificial UV (ultraviolet)-B light therapy for skin diseases caused by their immune systems acting inappropriately.

The research - published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology – shows how UV-B light boosts vitamin D, as well as cells in our body that are responsible for regulating or balancing the immune system. Vitamin D is made in our bodies by UV-B light from the sun.

Some studies have suggested a link between vitamin D deficiency and autoimmune diseases such as MS. This possible link might also explain the increasing prevalence of autoimmune disease among those living far from the equator, where there are lower levels of winter sun.... Read More - http://www.msrc.co.uk/index.cfm/fuseact ... ageid/1334

So how come for some people sun exposure worsens their symptoms?

Also,does this apply to all types of MS?

One person posted why don't coal miners suffer a high rate of MS?

Daisy3 wrote:So how come for some people sun exposure worsens their symptoms?

Also,does this apply to all types of MS?

MS patients who are susceptible to the heat, will have problems when exposed to the sun. Vitamin D doesn't come into play here. The sun increases the body temperature of the person and that plays havoc with nerve transmission. As a result, symptoms become exacerbated and the patient has to cool down as soon as possible.

Harry

“We found that UV-B light boosted the production of vitamin D, and of regulatory T cells, which play an important role keeping our immune systems in check.

And this is something that doesn't come in our D3 pills.

“We would also want to stress that we are not advocating sun bed use since this is not the same type of radiation produced by sun beds which already have well-documented health risks.

So what kind of UV light did they actually use?
Was it simply UV-b.

Most sunbeds actually produce UV-b as well as UV-a.

We all know about the increased risk of skin cancer but on the other hand getting some marginal effect from exposing yourself to more UV-b (from sunbeds if needed) may just outweigh this risk

Everytime I go in holydays at the seaside where I took a lot of sun and have a tanned skin, I notice great improvements in my MS symptoms, even if there is a temporary worsening caused by the heat.

Once again, I just returned of a few days near the seaside and this is striking.

On the other hand, the Vitamine D supplements have never had this effect on me, even at high dose (once I took 1 800 000 UI in 3 weeks)

milesap wrote:One person posted why don't coal miners suffer a high rate of MS?

I think that people who work in a conditionned office have as much sun exposure as a coal miner.
I wonder if there is such statistics on the differents jobs of MSers. Perhaps that builders or fishers have a lower MS rate.

CureOrBust wrote:

“We found that UV-B light boosted the production of vitamin D, and of regulatory T cells, which play an important role keeping our immune systems in check.

And this is something that doesn't come in our D3 pills.

vitamin d3 boosts Tregs whether by UVB or supplements, no worries.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20684175

milesap wrote:One person posted why don't coal miners suffer a high rate of MS?

probably all the zinc down there. (facetious smiley)

Not sure I have ever heard of pro outdoor athlete ever getting MS.

Haven't got a reference, but did read a while back "outdoor" workers have lower incidence of MS and autoimmune disease in general. This may be the vitamin D or some other "unknown" factor.