vitamin D gets an "A"

Food for Thought:

The results of two studies underscore the importance of getting a sufficient amount of vitamin D each day.

Taking vitamin D supplements appears to greatly reduce a woman’s risk of getting multiple sclerosis (MS), according to the results of a study performed as part of the ongoing Nurses’ Health Study. Writing in the January 13 issue of Neurology, researchers found that women who took vitamin D in a multivitamin supplement (at least 400 International Units per day) were 40% less likely to develop MS than women who didn’t take supplements.

The second study, published in the December issue of the Mayo Clinic Proceedings (2003; 78, 1463–70) found a link between musculoskeletal pain and vitamin D deficiency. The researchers in this cross-sectional study examined hospital patients who were admitted for “persistent, nonspecific musculoskeletal pain” and determined that more than 90% had inadequate levels of vitamin D.