THE EFFECT OF VITAMIN B12 AND FOLIC ACID SUPPLEMENTATION ON QUALITY OF LIFE IN PATIENTS WITH RELAPSING-REMITTING MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

Whereas previous studies have found a significant correlation between the quality
of life in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients and vitamin B12 consumption, small number of controlled
trial intervention studies proved the effectiveness of this vitamin. Thus, we decided to conduct this study
to determine the effect of supplementation with vitamin B12 and folic acid on the quality of life in
patients with Relapsing-Remitting MS.
Materials & Methods: This double blinded clinical trial was performed within two months on two
groupswith25 MS patients in each. The intervention group recieved5mg of folic acid daily and 3 doses
of 1mg vitamin B12 and the placebo group received placebo tablets and normal saline. In order to
determine the quality of life, we administered the MSQOL-54 questionnaire before and after the
intervention. Statistical data were analyzed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, independent t-test,
paired t-test, Mann-Whitney and Wilcoxon by SPSS software (version23).
Results: The average age of patients in the placebo and intervention groups was 30.52±4.97 and
30.16±4.99, respectively. Analysis of the quality of life before and after the intervention showed a
significant improvement in the mental field of quality of life (P < 0.05), but there was no significant
difference in the physical field of quality of life (P > 0.05). However, in the intervention group we saw
a significant improvement in both mental and physical fields of quality of life (P < 0.05).
Conclusion: This study showed that increasing consumption of vitamin B12 and folic acid can make a
decisive improvement in the quality of life in these patients which is consistent with similar studies
conducted. By revealing the potential role of vitamin B12 and folic acid in the aspects of physical and
mental fields of quality of life, an increase in the consumption of foods rich with vitamin B12 and folic
acid with appropriate interventions is recommended.