Millions of people live with pain that never really goes away. But in a significant finding, new research suggests that undiagnosed vitamin and mineral deficiencies could be partly to blame. In what has been described as one of the largest studies of its kind, scientists found that people with low levels of certain micronutrients, such as vitamin D, vitamin B12, folate, magnesium, and vitamin C, are more likely to suffer from long-lasting, sometimes severe, chronic pain. The findings offer hope that dietary changes and supplements could potentially reduce such pain and the resulting dependence on pharmaceutical drugs.
A major new systematic review has added to the growing evidence that vitamin D may play a key role in the prevention and management of multiple sclerosis (MS). After examining data from 62 scientific studies, researchers found that people with MS generally have significantly lower vitamin D levels than healthy people, and that lower levels are linked to a greater risk of developing the disease and to more severe disability. The review also found that higher-dose vitamin D supplementation may help reduce relapses in some patients. These findings strengthen the case that doctors and patients need to be made more aware of the potential importance of vitamin D and other micronutrients in controlling MS.
There is a common perception that stress has many negative health effects, including an increased risk of heart disease. This has been supported by data from epidemiological and clinical studies, as well as animal models, that show a connection between emotional stress and the likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease, accelerating its progression, and triggering adverse outcomes.
