effect of vitamin a supplementation on fatigue and depression in multiple sclerosis patients: a double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial

Decreasing the population and activation of inflammatory t helper cells in multiple sclerosis (ms) patients using vitamin a derivatives (retinoic acids) has been well documented. the present study determined the effect of vitamin a supplementation on psychiatric signs in ms patients. the subjects were 101 relapsing-remitting ms patients enrolled in a placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial. the treatment group was administered 25000 iu/d retinyl palmitate (rp) for 6 months followed by 10000 iu/d rp for another 6 months. the results for baseline characteristics, modified fatigue impact scale and beck depression inventory-ii were recorded at the beginning and end of the one-year study. the non-normal distribution data was compared between groups using a nonparametric test and normal distribution data was analyzed using a parametric test. (clinicaltrials.gov identifiers: nct01417273). the results showed significant improvement in the treatment group for fatigue (p=0.004) and depression (p=0.01). vitamin a supplementation helped during interferon therapy in the treatment process and improved psychiatric outcomes for anti-inflammatory mechanisms.