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Fat‐soluble vitamins as disease modulators in multiple sclerosis
Author(s) -
Torkildsen Ø.,
LøkenAmsrud K. I.,
Wergeland S.,
Myhr K.M.,
Holmøy T.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
acta neurologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.967
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1600-0404
pISSN - 0001-6314
DOI - 10.1111/ane.12045
Subject(s) - multiple sclerosis , vitamin d and neurology , medicine , vitamin , animal studies , disease , vitamin e , observational study , physiology , bioinformatics , biology , immunology , biochemistry , antioxidant
Background Fat‐soluble vitamins ( A , D , E and K ) have properties that could be relevant as modulators of disease activity in multiple sclerosis ( MS ). Methods We performed a systematic search on P ub M ed and M edline up to M ay 2012, using the search strings ‘vitamin A’, ‘retinol’, ‘retinal’, ‘carotenoids’, ‘vitamin D’, ‘vitamin E’, ‘alpha‐tocopherol’, ‘vitamin K’ in conjunction with ‘multiple sclerosis’, ‘animal model’ and ‘experimental autoimmune encephalitis ( EAE )’. In addition, the reference lists of the publications identified were examined for further citations of relevance. Results There is comprehensive evidence from epidemiological, observational, and experimental studies that vitamin D may be beneficial in MS . Results from small‐scale clinical studies are inconclusive, and large‐scale, adequately powered, randomized, controlled trials are still lacking. For vitamin D , O xford C entre for E vidence‐ B ased M edicine level 2c evidence exists for a positive therapeutic effect. Evidence from animal models indicates that all the examined fat‐soluble vitamins could have potential as modulators of disease activity in MS . For vitamin A and E , level 4 and 5 evidence exists for a modulatory effect in MS ; for vitamin K , too few studies have been conducted to indicate an effect in humans. Conclusion Vitamin D is a promising candidate as modulator of disease activity in MS , and controlled studies are currently being conducted. All the fat‐soluble vitamins have, however, been demonstrated to be effective in different animal models for the disease, and vitamin A and E have biological properties that could be relevant for MS pathogenesis. Thus, vitamin A and E seem to be promising candidates for future case–control and cohort studies.