Breastfeeding protects women against MS

'Pregnancy state' blocks female sex hormones linked to the disease

• Women who do develop the condition suffer far less severely if they breastfed 
• It's believed the way breastfeeding influences sex hormones may explain the link
• Women should breastfed for at least 15 months over their life to half the risk 
• Some 100,000 people in the UK suffer with MS - with women being most at risk

Breastfeeding may protect women against developing multiple sclerosis, research suggests.

And women who do develop the condition suffer far less severely if they have breastfed their child, experts discovered.

Some 100,000 people in the UK suffer with MS - and the disease affects twice as many women as men.

People who are affected suffer loss of mobility, sight problems, tiredness and excruciating pain - and there are few effective treatments.

The new research, led by US researchers at Kaiser Permanente in Southern California, suggests women who breastfeed their children for a combined total of at least 15 months over their lifetime have half the chance of developing MS as those who breastfeed for less than four months or not at all.Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-4689806/Breastfeeding-protects-women-against-MS.html