Sunnier Days in Youth May Mean Less Odds of MS Later

WEDNESDAY, March 7, 2018 -- Living in sunnier climes when young might help shield you from multiple sclerosis decades later, new research suggests.

The main factor may be the sun's ultraviolet B (UV-B) rays, which help the body produce vitamin D, according to a Canadian team. They noted that lower levels of vitamin D have been associated with a rise in risk for multiple sclerosis (MS).

Eating Fish Might Guard Against MS

THURSDAY, March 1, 2018 -- People who eat fish regularly seem to have a lower risk of developing multiple sclerosis, researchers report.

How much fish makes a difference? In this study, people who ate fish at least once a week -- or who ate fish one to three times a month and took daily fish oil supplements -- had a 45 percent lower risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) compared to folks who ate fish less than once a month and who didn't take fish oil supplements.

MS Drug Poses Hard Choices for Women Wanting Children

THURSDAY, Feb. 8, 2018 -- A powerful multiple sclerosis drug presents women with a tough dilemma if they would like to have children, a pair of new studies suggests.

Those who take Tysabri (natalizumab) to manage their MS are more likely to suffer a relapse during pregnancy if they stop taking the drug before they conceive, the first study found.

MS Patients May Gain From Balance-Focused Workouts

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 31, 2018 -- Problems with balance are a common hallmark of multiple sclerosis, but new research suggests a specially designed exercise program can help put patients on firmer ground.

People with MS who enrolled in the 14-week program showed "greater improvements in balance, dizziness and fatigue," compared to MS patients who hadn't done the exercises. That's according to a team led by physiotherapist Jeffrey Hebert, of the University of Colorado School of Medicine, in Aurora.