<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>> 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