MS research has revealed the three basic causal factors of MS and importantly all three have to be present for MS to happen.

First is genetic susceptibility and without that you don’t have the potential to get MS. I would estimate between 2 and 5% of the Caucasian population are genetically susceptible to MS. Of course MS prevalence is an order of magnitude less than this and that is because two other factors are necessary.

The second causal factor is impaired venous drainage from the brain. It seems 10-20% of the population has this congenital condition and obviously the vast majority with it do not get MS.

The final causal factor is one must get an EBV infection during a time of very low immune regulation. Low immune regulation is usually due to a low vitamin D level in combination with a poorly educated immune system which is the result to a lack of chronic infections such as parasites. Probably 20-40% of the population in northern first world countries experience this and very few get MS.

You calculate MS prevalence by simply multiplying the average prevalence of each of the three factors - .04 (genetics) X .15 (venous problems) X .3 (poorly regulated EBV infection) = .0018 or an expected prevalence of about 180 per 100,000. Not surprisingly this calculated prevalence is a reasonable estimate for MS prevalence in northern countries with a dominant Caucasian population.

With this knowledge it becomes very easy to prevent MS -adequate vitamin D during childhood. Treatment also becomes obvious. Genes cannot be changed. Impaired venous drainage can be fixed although current techniques need substantial improvement to ensure a long term fix. The effects of an abnormal immune system causing inflammation in the CNS can often be countered by nutritional strategies.