Can a placebo work for back pain, even when you now you’re taking it?

Multiple sclerosis, MS is often seen as an immune reaction.  However researchers surveyed 1,349 MS sufferers.  The respondents were asked to reveal any allergic reaction to food, environmental factors or drugs, only those with a food allergy suffered more frequent relapses and had more severe pathological changes related to MS. It is not yet know whether an allergy can cause the MS in the first place, but researchers do know that sufferers often experience a relapse after a reaction to food.  This suggest that MS isn't just an immune reaction but is more closely assocated with gut and inflammatory responses to foods.  This discovery by researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston ties in with earlier observations that people with MS seem to suffer relapses after an allergic reaction - but nobody has been sure it was a reaction only to food. Researchers concluded there is a strong link between MS and food allergy.  The common factor seems to be inflammation in the gut. Reference Fakih R, Diaz-Cruz C, Chua AS, Gonzalez C, Healy BC, Sattarnezhad N, Glanz BI, Weiner HL, Chitnis T. Food allergies are associated with increased disease activity in multiple sclerosis. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2019 Jun;90(6):629-635.    

In part 1, I introduced the topic of period pain.  In this blog post, I want to explore the topic from the perspective of functional medicine practitioners who believe that period pains are caused by certain nutritional deficiencies particularly vitamin B, magnesium and essential fatty acids. There is evidence that magnesium can reduce the sensitivity to pain.  In one study 21 out of 25 women treated with magnesium for six months saw a reduction in the period pain. In one scientific study over 500 women aged between 12 to 21 with moderate to severe period pain took vitamin B1.  87% were completely cured after 3 months.  Just 5% saw no effect at all, while 8% saw their pain reduced.  There is also scientific evidence that vitamin B6 may be useful too. Finally, there is scientific evidence that Acupuncture can be a safe and effective treatment for period pain. References Magnesium reference see >> https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27978803,  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11687013, Vitamin B reference see >> https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8935744, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1459624/ Acupuncture references see >> https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29879061 and https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2017/1791258/abs/  

Given the high prevalence of infertility as well as vitamin D insufficiency in otherwise healthy young women and men and the possible link between vitamin D and human reproduction, is being researched by scientists. Vitamin D has been well-known for its function in maintaining calcium and phosphorus homeostasis and promoting strong bones and teeth. There is some evidence that in addition to sex steroid hormones, the classic regulators of human reproduction, vitamin D also modulates reproductive processes in women and men.  It is well known that Vitamin D peaks in the summer months and drops in the winter months in the Uk and other northern countries that have fewer hours of day light during the winter months.  In these northern countries the conception rate is decreased during the dark winter months; it peaks during the summer leading to a maximum birth rate in the spring. In women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), low 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels are associated with obesity, metabolic, and endocrine disturbances.   Polycystic ovary syndrome is a common cause of infertility.  Researchers concluded that vitamin D supplementation might improve menstrual frequency and metabolic disturbances in those women. The same researchers suggested vitamin D might influence steroidogenesis of sex hormones (estradiol and progesterone) in healthy women and high 25(OH)D levels might be associated with endometriosis. In men, vitamin D is positively associated with semen quality and androgen status. Moreover, vitamin D supplementation might increase testosterone levels. It should be noted that Vitamin D supplementation can't treat infertility alone, but is a safe and cheap treatment, which has been shown to boost fertility in men and women. In addition there is limited evidence that vitamin D exerts some effects on the outcome of IVF treatment. Finally vitamin D deficiency among pregnant women has been associated with elevated risk for other pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia and bacterial vaginosis. References Rojansky N,Brzezinski A & Schenker JG. Seasonality in human reproduction: an update.Human Reproduction 1992 7 735–745. E Lerchbaum & B Obermayer-Pietshc, Mechanisms in Enocrinology: Vitamin D and Fertility: A systematic review. Eur J Endocrinol May 1, 2012 166765-778

Bodnar LM, Catov JM, Simhan HN, Holick MF, Powers RW & Roberts JM Maternal vitamin D deficiency increases the risk of preeclampsia. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism2007 92 3517–3522.