Healthy Living

The Correlation Between Cigarettes and Multiple Sclerosis

What else puts you at risk for MS?

As stated previously, there is no known “cause” of multiple sclerosis or why it affects certain individuals more than others, but there are risk factors other than smoking that play a part in its development. No factor is singlehandedly responsible; however, a combination of factors will make you more susceptible to developing the disease.  

One common risk factor is being a native northeastern. Individuals from the northeast tend to be at a higher risk of developing multiple sclerosis. MS sufferers are traditionally deficient in Vitamin D, a nutrient you can get by being out in the sun. One thing the northeastern US lacks is an abundance of sunlight. Although the sun still comes out in these areas, the strength of the sun isn’t nearly as strong, so very little vitamin D is absorbed. Vitamin D deficiency puts people at a higher risk of developing multiple sclerosis.