Scientists used a special genetic analysis method to study whether vitamins and minerals in our blood affect our risk of getting certain nerve and immune diseases. They looked at data from over 2.8 million people and found that four specific nutrients appear to have a protective effect: magnesium may help with multiple sclerosis, folate with brain inflammation, vitamin B6 with eye nerve problems, and iron with muscle weakness. While these findings are interesting and suggest these nutrients play a role in these diseases, the researchers emphasize that more studies are needed before doctors can recommend specific nutrient treatments.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether the amounts of vitamins and minerals in our blood cause or prevent certain diseases that affect the nerves and immune system
  • Who participated: Data from 5,523 people who had one of seven nerve diseases and 2,860,006 people who didn’t have these diseases, all from Finland
  • Key finding: Four nutrients showed a protective link: higher magnesium levels were linked to lower multiple sclerosis risk, higher folate to lower brain inflammation risk, higher vitamin B6 to lower eye nerve disease risk, and higher iron to lower muscle weakness risk
  • What it means for you: These findings suggest that maintaining healthy levels of these nutrients may be important for nerve health, but this doesn’t mean you should take supplements without talking to your doctor first. More research is needed to confirm these connections and determine safe treatment approaches

The Research Details

Researchers used a method called Mendelian randomization, which uses genetic information to figure out whether something actually causes a disease rather than just being associated with it. Think of it like using family traits as clues to solve a puzzle. They looked at genetic data from a large study that identified which genes affect nutrient levels in the blood. Then they checked whether these same genes that affect nutrients also affected the risk of seven different nerve diseases: multiple sclerosis, Guillain-Barré syndrome, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, acute poliomyelitis, poliomyelitis sequelae, optic neuritis, and myasthenia gravis.

The researchers used a technique called inverse variance weighting as their main analysis method, which is a way of combining information from many genetic markers to get a stronger answer. They also ran additional tests to make sure their results were reliable and not influenced by other factors. This approach is stronger than just looking at whether people with certain nutrient levels have more disease, because it helps rule out other explanations.

This research approach is important because it helps answer a key question: do low nutrient levels actually cause these diseases, or do people with these diseases just happen to have low nutrient levels for other reasons? By using genetics, the researchers can get closer to finding true cause-and-effect relationships, which is much harder to do in regular studies where many other factors could be involved.

The study used data from a very large, well-established database (FinnGen) with millions of people, which makes the results more reliable. The researchers performed sensitivity tests to check that their findings weren’t due to hidden biases or errors. However, this type of genetic study can only suggest causal relationships—it cannot prove them the way a controlled experiment could. The findings need to be confirmed by other studies before doctors would change their treatment recommendations.

What the Results Show

The study found four clear connections between nutrient levels and nerve diseases. For multiple sclerosis, people with higher magnesium levels had about half the risk compared to those with lower levels. For acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (a brain inflammation disease), higher folate levels were associated with dramatically lower risk. For optic neuritis (an eye nerve disease), higher vitamin B6 levels were protective. For myasthenia gravis (a muscle weakness disease), higher iron levels were associated with lower risk.

These findings suggest that these nutrients may play a protective role in these diseases. The researchers found no evidence that their results were influenced by other factors or measurement errors, which makes the findings more trustworthy. However, it’s important to note that these are associations found through genetic analysis, not proof that taking supplements will prevent these diseases.

The study looked at 14 different nutrients in total, but only found clear causal relationships for the four mentioned above. This suggests that while many nutrients are important for overall health, only certain ones appear to have a specific protective effect against these particular nerve diseases. The other nutrients studied (like vitamin D, calcium, and others) did not show clear causal relationships with the diseases examined.

Previous research has suggested that micronutrients are involved in nerve and immune diseases, but most studies couldn’t determine whether low nutrient levels caused the disease or resulted from it. This study adds to that knowledge by using genetic methods to suggest actual cause-and-effect relationships. The findings align with what we know about how these nutrients support nerve and immune function, but they go further by suggesting specific nutrients may be particularly important for specific diseases.

This study has several important limitations. First, it only looked at people of European ancestry from Finland, so the results may not apply to other populations. Second, the study can only suggest causal relationships based on genetics—it cannot prove that taking supplements will prevent or treat these diseases. Third, the study doesn’t tell us what nutrient levels are ‘optimal’ or whether supplements would be helpful, since the analysis was based on naturally occurring nutrient levels. Finally, some of these diseases are quite rare, so the number of people studied with each disease was relatively small, which could affect the reliability of individual findings.

The Bottom Line

Based on this research, the most reasonable approach is to ensure you’re getting adequate amounts of magnesium, folate, vitamin B6, and iron through a balanced diet. For people at risk of or concerned about these specific nerve diseases, discussing nutrient status with a healthcare provider is worthwhile. However, this research does not yet support taking high-dose supplements as a treatment or prevention strategy. More research is needed before specific supplement recommendations can be made. Confidence level: Moderate—the genetic evidence is solid, but clinical confirmation is still needed.

This research is most relevant to people who have one of these nerve diseases or have a family history of them. It may also interest people with general concerns about nerve health. However, people should not use this information to self-treat with supplements without medical guidance. Healthcare providers caring for patients with these diseases should be aware of these findings as they may inform future treatment approaches.

If these nutrients do play a protective role, the effects likely develop over months to years as part of overall health maintenance, not days or weeks. This is why prevention through good nutrition is important, but why supplements are unlikely to provide quick fixes for existing diseases.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track daily intake of magnesium-rich foods (nuts, seeds, leafy greens), folate sources (leafy greens, legumes, fortified grains), vitamin B6 sources (chickpeas, bananas, salmon), and iron sources (red meat, beans, fortified cereals). Log servings daily and aim for recommended daily amounts.
  • Add one nutrient-rich food from each category to your daily meals: one magnesium source at breakfast, one folate source at lunch, one B6 source at dinner, and one iron source at another meal. Track completion daily to build the habit.
  • Weekly review of nutrient intake patterns to ensure consistent consumption of these four nutrient categories. Monthly check-ins to assess whether dietary changes feel sustainable. If you have one of these nerve diseases, share tracking data with your healthcare provider to discuss whether supplementation might be appropriate for your specific situation.

This research suggests possible connections between nutrient levels and certain nerve diseases but does not prove that supplements can prevent or treat these conditions. If you have been diagnosed with one of these diseases or have concerns about your risk, consult with your healthcare provider before making changes to your diet or starting supplements. This information is for educational purposes only and should not replace professional medical advice. Do not use this study as a basis for self-treatment without medical guidance.