Vitamin D May Fight Multiple Sclerosis

As is well known, the body synthesizes vitamin D if we are sufficiently exposed to sunlight. Over-exposure, however, especially in the absence of protective creams, can lead to skin cancer, which is far from uncommon. The outside sources of this vitamin are quite limited: fortified milk, of which one would have to drink more than most of us would want to get the daily requirement of D, and oily fish.

I don't buy it.

I grew up sunscreenless in Southern Californian sun - my biggest "what if" was skin cancer. I can't count the number of times I've sunburnt practically purple - blistered and sore for days. "Fork in a microwave" is how I've heard it put. Then ... in cold, cloudy, crappy Maine I got a virus that may have been my trigger. I'm back in Louisiana Sun (loving the heat and humidity!!) and I take a Vitamin D supplement occasionally (when I think about it, I'm afraid). Direct sunlight DOES help me with my Avonex side effects, but whether that's psychosomatic or not, I don't know.

But again, I don't buy it.