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Recently there have been several questions asked about the possible
connection between MS and celiac disease. In a recent issue of MS
Quarterly Report Volume 19, Number 4, Winter 2000 there was a abstract
of an article from Medical Hypothesis (2000); 55(3), 239-241. I have not
read the original article since I don't have access to this journal.
However it points to some interesting information that I had never seen
in previous discussions about causes of MS (I have been diagnosed with
MS for 15 years and with celiac disease for 2 years).

Some of the points made in the abstract were:

1. It is documented that more women than men develop MS (a general ratio
of 2:1).

2. "Women absorb more copper, have a high demand, but impaired
absorption of zinc and have an ever-decreasing production of
melatonin....menstruating females often have low magnesium and vitamin
B6 levels." Apparently this combination leads to production of trapped
nitric oxide and superoxide to produce a free radical that leads to
myelin damage.

3. For men "Iron, molybenum and cadmium accumulation also increases
superoxide production in men. Males who tend to accumulate iron much
faster and copper much slower than females tend to become afflicted with
MS."

4. MS risk increases the farther you live away from the equator.  "Since
vitamin D is paramount for magnesium absorption, the reduced exposure to
sunlight in the higher latitudes may account for the higher incidence of
MS in these areas."

"In summary it is proposed that the gradual accumulation of copper,
cadmium, and iron along with an ever-increasing deficiency of zinc,
magnesium and vitamins B6 and D are at least part of the cause of MS.
In addition it is possible that supplements of magnesium, zinc,
selenium, EPA, DHA, and vitamins B2, B6, D, and E taken by girls between
14 and 16 years of age may help prevent the development of MS.  However,
there is no evidence currently available to support this hypothesis."

I thought this was interesting since people with untreated/undiagnosed
celiac disease tend to be deficient in some of these minerals/vitamins.
Many people with celiac disease are treated for anemia with iron when in
fact the deficiency could be due to other causes like lack of vitamin
B12, etc. and so could cause iron accumulation.

If someone has access to this publication I would appreciate hearing
from them because I find this personally interesting plus I am trying to
gather information to try to wack some neurologist over the head because
it irritates me that they keep ignoring celiac as a possible cause of
various neurological problems. (And to make it even worse most of the
neurologist I personally know are connected with the University of
Maryland!!)

Betsey Carus
Baltimore, MD