Evidence supporting the use of: Vitamin D
For the health condition: Lou Gehrig's Disease
Synopsis
Source of validity: Scientific
Rating (out of 5): 1
Vitamin D has been investigated for its potential role in supporting patients with Lou Gehrig's Disease (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, ALS), primarily due to its broader importance in neuroprotection, immune modulation, and skeletal health. Several observational studies have noted that individuals with ALS often have lower serum vitamin D levels compared to healthy controls. This has led to the hypothesis that vitamin D deficiency could either contribute to disease progression or reflect reduced mobility and sun exposure in ALS patients.
However, high-quality scientific evidence supporting the use of vitamin D supplementation specifically to slow ALS progression or improve outcomes is very limited. A handful of small clinical studies and case reports have examined vitamin D supplementation in ALS, but results have been inconclusive or modest at best. As of now, no large randomized controlled trials have demonstrated a significant benefit of vitamin D supplementation on disease progression, survival, or quality of life in ALS patients. Most guidelines recommend maintaining normal vitamin D levels to prevent bone complications associated with immobility, rather than as a direct treatment for ALS itself.
In summary, while there is a plausible biological rationale and some preliminary data, the evidence supporting vitamin D supplementation as a disease-modifying therapy in ALS is weak (rated 1 out of 5). Its primary role in ALS care remains the prevention of vitamin D deficiency and its skeletal consequences, not the direct treatment of the neurodegenerative process.
Other health conditions supported by vitamin D
AcneAllergies (food)
Allergies (respiratory)
Alzheimer's Disease
Amenorrhea
Anemia
Anorexia
Apathy
Arrhythmia
Arteriosclerosis
Arthritis
Asthma
Autism
Autoimmune Disorders
Backache
Birth Defects (prevention)
Body Building
Broken Bones
Calcium Deficiency
Cancer (natural therapy for)
Cancer (prevention)
Cancer Treatment (reducing side effects)
Cardiovascular Disease
Celiac Disease
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder
Colds (antiviral)
Colds (general)
Colds (prevention)
Colds (with fever)
Concentration (poor)
Concussions
Confusion
Congestive Heart Failure
Contagious Diseases
Convalescence
Convulsions
Cramps (menstrual)
Cramps and Spasms
Crohn's Disease
Cystic Breast Disease
Cystic Fibrosis
Dandruff
Debility
Dementia
Depression
Dermatitis
Diabetes
Diabetic Retinopathy
Erectile Dysfunction
Estrogen (low)
Fatigue
Fibroids (uterine)
Fibromyalgia Syndrome
Fibrosis
Grave's Disease
Grief and Sadness
Hair (loss or thinning)
Hair Care (general)
Hashimoto's Disease
Headache (cluster)
Heart (weakness)
Hypertension
Hypothyroid
Infection
Infection (bacterial)
Infection (viral)
Infertility
Inflammation
Inflammatory Bowel Disorders
Influenza
Injuries
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Itching
Knees (weak)
Leaky Gut Syndrome
Leprosy
Lesions
Leukemia
Lou Gehrig's Disease
Lupus
Lymphoma
Melanoma
Memory and Brain Function
Menopause
Menstrual Irregularity
Mental Illness
Metabolic Syndrome
Migraine
Miscarriage (prevention)
Mood Swings
Multiple Sclerosis
Muscle Tone (lack of)
Muscular Dystrophy
Myasthenia Gravis
Nephritis
Nerve Damage
Nervous Exhaustion
Numbness
Nursing
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Oral Surgery
Osteoporosis
Pain (general remedies for)
Pancreatitis
Paralysis
Parkinson's Disease
Peripheral Neuropathy
PMS (general)
PMS Type D
PMS Type H
PMS Type P
PMS Type S
Pneumonia
Polyps
Post Partum Depression
Post Partum Weakness
Pregnancy (herbs and supplements for)
Progesterone (low)
Prostatitis
Psoriasis
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Schizophrenia
Sciatica
Seasonal Affective Disorder
Senility
Tuberculosis
Products containing vitamin D
Nature's Sunshine Love and Peas (Sugar Free)
Nature's Sunshine AIVIA Plant Protein
Nature's Sunshine AIVIA Plant Protein
Nature's Sunshine AIVIA Whey Protein
Nature's Sunshine AIVIA Whey Protein
Nature's Sunshine Children's MultiVitamin & Mineral
Nature's Sunshine Immune System
Nature's Sunshine Love and Peas
Nature's Sunshine Mega-Chel
Nature's Sunshine MultiVitamin & Mineral (SynerPro)
Nature's Sunshine MultiVitamin & Mineral (Time Release)
Nature's Sunshine My-Immune Defense Mushroom Blend
Nature's Sunshine Nature's Harvest
Nature's Sunshine Power Greens
Nature's Sunshine Power Greens To-Go
Nature's Sunshine Power Meal
Nature's Sunshine Power Meal
Nature's Sunshine Silver Shield BioGuard Hand & Body Cream
Nature's Sunshine Solstic Twenty-Four
Nature's Sunshine Solstic Cardio
Nature's Sunshine Solstic Immune
Nature's Sunshine Vitamin A & D