African-American MS Patients Have Lower Levels Of Vitamin D

A study conducted by U.S. researchers has found that African-Americans with multiple sclerosis (MS) have lower levels of vitamin D in their bodies than non-afflicted African-Americans, mainly because of climate and geography differences. Researchers analyzed health data from 339 MS patients and 342 people who did not have the disease, focusing especially on plasma vitamin D levels, disease severity, exposure to UV rays from the sun, and European genetic ancestry. They found that 77 percent of the MS group were deficient in vitamin D, compared to 71 percent of the non-MS group. Those with MS were also exposed less each month to sunlight than the non-MS group, and tended to liver farther north. People who had more European ancestry in their genes were less likely to have low vitamin D levels.