Such interesting findings! I've personally never followed the advice to stay away from the sun (heat yes, sun no), because I feel overall much better after sun exposure (more relaxed, less pain, much less insomnia). I've also noticed my vitamin D levels get much higher with direct sun than with supplements. Surely the immune system works in peculiar ways, thanks for another very informative update!
just watched Dr Boster's video this am and your channel was plugged! Great that professionals such as you two share each other's info...we MS patients only have more to gain by this pooling of knowledge and experience
These videos are tremendously helpful Dr. Beaber. Thank you for your work on these. I have a couple of questions.... 1. Would it follow that for MS patients in northern locations using a tanning booth periodically in the winter would supply UV exposure and potentially help regulate the immune system? (Obviously you would be hesitant to recommend tanning beds but is this reasoning sound?) 2. Have there been any studies since you made this video looking at sun exposure and MS relapses and progression? (I know in the video you said none had been completed at that point.) 3. Is there any seasonal variability in MS relapses? It seems that if UV radiation is a factor, that late winter or early spring there would be a greater number of relapses among MS patients. I mean this in all sincerity, I thank God for your work making these videos. I've watched nearly all of them and have been helped greatly.
Hi Dr Beaber! At 8:15 there’s mention of Interleukin increases from sunlight, similar to some medications. Could you tell me where I can read that study, I can’t find it! Thanks in advance :)
Fascinating info! For those of us in northern areas of the US and most of Canada, it’d be challenging to get an hour of full body sun in the winter, since standing outside when it’s -20F to sunbathe isn’t too comfortable 😆. Sounds like it’d be worthwhile to find a good window seat in the house in the winter to try and soak up the sun as much as possible while staying warm. The long stretches of overcast days in winter in the Midwest will also be a challenge though. I hope more awareness of this kind of research spreads across the neurology community, it really is compelling stuff. Part of me wonders if someday part of MS treatment becomes neurologists recommending patients move to sunnier parts of their country, not unlike TB patents in the 19th century moving to places with drier climates to help their lung function.
I practice in Southern California, so it's not an issue for me, but even here, most people are effectively sun-deprived because they wear clothing and spend most of their time indoors. It would be funny if a doctor practicing in Canada recommended moving South to all their patients. :) Many neurologists are aware of this research, but it's extremely difficult to apply in practice. It's much easier to take a vitamin D supplement (which may be completely ineffective).
Not just Vitamin D, but not to miss that sun exposure is beneficial for the pineal gland to synthesize melatonin, which is important hormone that regulates the circadian rhythm and is also enhancing remyelination. :*
A lot of people tell me Ms is worse for them with sun light but for me it’s the opposite. My best days are usually when it’s super super sunny & when it’s hot. It might be due to genetics? I’m mixed and my background is: sudan + Yemen + north mali + somalia. Whenever it’s super hot, I have no fatigue. I feel super strong and normal. Those are the days when it’s almost like nothing is actually wrong with me.
I don' have an explanation for this, but I have definitely heard it before. Some people with MS prefer the heat and abhor the cold for unknown reasons.
Dr. Brandon Beaber yea. For me, winters are the worst. Even though I was on ocrevus, I had a new 17.9mm leison come into existence. Scan was feb time. All my relapses started from December and were present till feb. I noticed that every single time I have a relapse, it’s usually always winter. I rarely progress in Summers. Weird
Great information! I'm a south FL native, and have lived here since birth. Very fair complexion, but extreme sun exposure during childhood. Constantly in the water; so much so that I ended up with significant sunburn and subsequently covered in freckles. I can't help but wonder if that helped delay onset of MS for me. DX was at age 44 rather than early 20's. Still love me some sun though, it's in my blood! 😉
As a kid I was surfing fishing or in a spring somewhere swimming all the time and definitely shorts only . I grew up on Panama city beach always in the sun . As I got older and wiser allegedly 🙂 I started wearing sun hats and long sleeves and pants this very well could be a lot of the problem!
Me too, I grew up in Puerto Rico and was always exposed to the sun, then came to Florida, I am a road bike cyclist and get expose to the sun still. ☀️🌞
I'm not sure there is much data on melatonin or copper (share a link if you have one), but there is evidence in a randomized trial from UCLA (Dr. Barbara Giesser) that estriol could be beneficial. I may do a video on this at some point (and possible interview her if I get the chance).
I get so excited when I see you have posted a new video. I am also from So. Cal, I am a nurse and I work indoors. When I am outside I am overheated so easily. I take Vitamin D 50,000 q week. Would Red light therapy help someone with MS?
I'm not aware of any specific data on red light. Based on experimental evidence, it seems that it is specifically the ultraviolet radiation which could be beneficial.
Thank you for the video. I feel that sunlight only affects my MS by making me overheat. That being said I've been working in construction since I was about 18 years old. I do not work right now. For the past 6 years I have been working outside in New England summers, getting beat by the sun for over 8 hours a day. I still got MS. I'm currently on a vitamin d medication.
Hm. One thing I didn't look into is occupation and risk of MS. I wonder if lifeguards have a reduced risk of multiple sclerosis. One issue is that working outdoors during the day may not mean much if you are wearing clothing covering 90% of your skin.
I unfortunately am an out lier. I have spent my life sport fishing and windsurfing. I had a job the had me working outside almost all the time and I avoided sunscreen when ever possible and still ended up with ms. Unfortunately i do live in southern Canada. I do find it difficult to get outside in the summer sun now as the heat is unbearable with my ms.
Have you explored sunlight vs something called near infrared light? Behavior for exposure is different so it’d be interesting to look farther into which we want. Apparently we want to be on and near vegetation to get near infrared? I’m always instead trying for direct sunlight exposure and sit out on my scooter on pavement away from the trees.
I lived in the sun when I was a kid. I was never inside in summer but I live where winters are dark. As a teen and young adult I loved to sunbathe and roll my eyes as everyone told me how bad it was. For my skin. It felt so good, almost euphoric. The past 10 yrs I have lived in NW oregon where it's overcast and rainy a lot and I started to avoid the sun out of fear of aging my skin. I still went outside a lot in summer but I would sit in the shade and never sunbathe. Last winter I was diagnosed with vitamin D deficiency and MS. This summer I could not go outside at all without getting sick and had to become nocturnal. Is a tanning bed in the 300nm range? There are two types of beds, mostly UVA, and mostly UVB. Which is better? Do you know anything about redlight or infrared light? I would love it if you could do a video on other wavelengths like red and blue! I am tempted to buy a Jov light but they are extremely expensive. I am convinced that a plant grow light could give the same benefit, but dosage is very tricky!
My job keeps me working outside most days. I'd say on normal work days I spend 6 to 8 hours outside in the sun. I've been at this job for over 15 years, so that's 15 years of daily sun exposure. I also was outside from youth and through adulthood. I guess I was one of those 'lucky' ones that still got MS with plenty of sun over their life. Who knows, maybe it's helped me from progressing even more than I already have. :)
In Cuenca, Ecuador, the risk of MS is estimated to be around 1:25,000, but it certainly isn't zero, and there are many other factors which may be driving the low prevalence in Cuenca. I can't say sunlight is 100% protective, just one factor.
Great information. I love the sun. Unfortunately, I’ve had melanoma twice, once 30 years ago and just recently in January. Both caught very early, stage 1b. I try to go out every day, and previously I’d just go for an hour walk, no sunscreen. Now they say I have to wear sunscreen. You touched on it a little, but would sunscreen totally block the good effects of UV rays, or would I still get enough to get it’s benefits? I have RRMS. Thank you. I love your videos!
Melanoma is no joke. sunscreen reduces penetration of UV radiation to the skin but does not eliminate it, which is why you can get sunburned even with sunscreen if you are out in the sun for long enough. Obviously, the risk/benefit ratio could be different in someone with a history of melanoma.
Dr. Brandon Beaber Thanks for the reply. I’m still trying to figure out that ratio. I thought getting melanoma in my twenties was an over and done with event. I have been careful with the sun, but not using sunscreen daily, only to the pool etc., and who would have thought MS with all my sun! (Yes, I know there is more to it😉). Thanks for all your videos. They are very informative.
When i actually get some sun exposure my ms including any symptoms totally chill out - problem is i cant sun expose because the heat kills me. I even went through 2 weeks of sun exposing inbthe spring where the sun wasnt so hot and felt ms free. What to do?
I love your videos. I take 100k IUs of Vitamin D a week. Yes, I do sit on my deck to get some sun. Not when it’s really hot outside. I try to go out early morning. When my body overheats I start to get a really bad throbbing pain in my left arm and hand. My left side is the bad side. That’s unfortunately when I know I have had enough heat. I personally feel a little better when I do go out and get sun. I feel like I have more energy, it doesn’t last long because I get excite and use it all up. 😊
@JC B I have heard that too much vitamin D could have adverse impacts as well... what other things you are taking to cancel the side effects of high dose of Vit D. it would be great if you may share this.
Baldip kaur I’m just guessing the range you should be in when your blood is checked because right now I can’t remember. The range is 32-100 for example. So my neurologist and I agreed to up it because I’m at 40. He wants it to be higher. I have problems with my potassium also. I only take vitamin D, Potassium, and Ocrevus. I have a 2nd cousin with MS as well and her dosage is way way higher than mine and that’s all she takes. Trust me I looked in everything before jumping and agreeing. I have a great neuro, he is the best and top in my area.
@@jcb.5712 Thanks for the reply :) My close relative has been suspected for MS and his vitamin D is 38 as per the latest test. I will surely recommend him to talk to his neurologist regarding this. I wish you good health. Take care. God Bless you :)
@@baldipkaur7475 It turns out that vitamin D toxicity generally does not occur even with prolonged regular sun exposure over a large area of the body. The reason for this is that you have a limited amount of 7-Dehydrocholesterol (the precursor to vitamin D) in the skin. The supply of 7-Dehydrocholesterol becomes quickly exhausted, limiting blood levels of vitamin D. Vitamin D toxicity can occur with high dose supplementation. I talk about this a little bit in my video on the coimbra protocol: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-XPWNc0f2iHE.html
Regarding the incidence of MS in the US so focused on the latitude with the effect lessening in recent years. What does sunblock do for Vitamin D absorption? I've wondered if there is in increase in MS since we've started to apply more sunblocking creams and lotions. No one in my family has had skin cancer so I tend towards not applying it routinely and only when I'm likely to really burn from my exposure- has this been looked into?
I'm very new to the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis only medically acknowledged 1 year ago . I have operated my landscaping service for over 20 years in north florida , but wear extremely sun resistant clothing so only experience the heat aspect. I might need to wear more revealing clothing 🤔
Sun angle is a critical factor for Vitamin D synthesis. UVB scattering is highly angle dependent. If the sun is at an angle such that your shadow is longer than you are tall, you're not going to make Vitamin D. Those of us living around the latitude of San Francisco can't make Vitamin D six months out of the year. The angle is correct for a short window around noon during the other months. Does it work the same way for these effects?
I presume if you live in an area with less sunlight, you would need longer exposure on a larger body surface area. Realistically, very few people living in developed countries get any regular sunlight over a large portion of their skin.
@@DrBrandonBeaber Thanks much for your quick reply. I've found your videos very informative. Could you hazard a guess about what a desirable exposure (in what ever units you find useful) would be for a person with skin type II?
i have dark skin (Southeast Asian) living in Canada for the last 40 years, i try to take sunlight for 15 minutes daily before 9am (especially on my legs) ...is this sufficient ?
Most likely not. Professor Jelinek gives recommendations in his book Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis based on skin color. For a dark-skinned individual living in Canada, exposure over a significant surface area for > 30 minutes a day may be necessary. Who knows what is truly optimal.
Dear Dr Beaber, thanks for your channel and your contributions to the MS community, it helps me not to feel too lonely with this miserable disease. Can you please tell us your opinion on the following paper by Hart et al (2017): "Narrowband UVB Phototherapy for Clinically Isolated Syndrome: A Trial to Deliver the Benefits of Vitamin D and Other UVB-Induced Molecules"? Thanks and stay healthy!
Thank you for sharing this publication. I was completely unaware of it. I actually found the follow up publication in 2018 which the following conclusion: "By 12 months, 100% of those in the no phototherapy arm and 70% in the phototherapy arm had converted to MS, although this difference was not statistically significant." source: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29780610/ This is certainly encouraging, though I would love to see a larger and longer study so we could get more definitive and statistically significant data.
@@DrBrandonBeaber Thanks for looking into it. Unfortunately, there seem to be only a few studies dealing with the impact of UV B on MS. I suppose you have found this survey as well: Breuer et al 2018 Does the environment influence multiple sclerosis pathogenesis via UVB light and/or induction of vitamin D? www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165572817304782 Those guys have shown a similar effect as the group around Hart, see: Breuer et al 2014 Ultraviolet B light attenuates the systemic immune response in central nervous system autoimmunity (onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ana.24165) Sorry for the spam :-) & Best regards!
I can't answer for you in particular since some people have medical conditions such that I wouldn't recommend high doses of vitamin D (such as calcium containing kidney stones), but typical doses are 5000-10000 IU or 50,000 IU weekly.
I have dogs who get walked 2x/day, so I get sun exposure that way. I also take a multivitamin that has vitamin D, though I'm not sure if taking a specific, separate supplement would be more beneficial.
Generally speaking, multivitamins contain a very small amount of vitamin D, often 400 international units or the amount recommended to prevent rickets. Sun exposure to the entire body for an amount of time necessary to produce minimal redness of the skin is estimated to release 10,000-20,000 international units of vitamin D!
@@DrBrandonBeaber very interesting -- thanks, doc! in that case, I will look into adding a separate d3 supplement (in addition to outdoor exposure and multivitamin) to my regimen. as always, appreciate the video and info.
Is there any chart or guidance to how much time to get in the sun? I am fair skinned and trying to walk the line between getting some sun and getting burned. I always seem to end up i the latter category.
In the book overcoming multiple sclerosis, George Jelinek gives very specific recommendations which would be a brief amount of sun exposure over a wide area of the body. If you are fair skinned in a region with a high UV index, it could be literally 10 minutes per day or less. I mention this at 8:55 in this video summarizing his book: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-yExeGBRxIfc.html
Possibly. It is also possible that people with higher skin melanin content would need much more sun exposure. There are commercially available UV lamps which are used as disinfectants. My guess is they are very popular right now.
@@DrBrandonBeaber a german study from 2014 onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ana.24165 they used uvb narrowband 311nm wavelength lamps which are usually used for psoriasis or vitiligo therapy
Blonde, blue eyed grew up near Boston. Living in NM since 20 YO. MS dx early 30s. Retired late 40s. No new lesions or enhancing lesions 15+ yrs. Live at 7,000 ft elevation. Outside often, wear sunscreen. Now lots of wrinkles. Skin cancer on scalp. MOHS due to size. Always active, spastic gait. Maybe it is sunlight.
So I grew up in WI. I received my MS diagnosis three days after moving down to sunny FL. So, it is a little easier to get some sunlight in here, but I do take a Vit D supplement. The rat study you spot of was really facilitating. Thanks for sharing :)
