Health Conditions A-Z Autoimmune Disease Multiple Sclerosis 5 Traits Linked to a Higher Risk of Multiple Sclerosis Mystery surrounds the development of Multiple Sclerosis. By Health.com Editorial Team Health.com Editorial Team An article by 'Health.com Editorial Team' indicates a collaborative effort from our in-house team. Sometimes, several writers and editors may contribute to an article over the years. These collaborations allow Health.com editors to provide you with the most accurate, up-to-date, and comprehensive information available. The editors at Health.com are a dedicated team of experienced health editors, writers, and other media professionals who strive to bring trustworthy and responsible health and medical content to their readers. As a team, we have decades of experience in health journalism, and have worked at legacy publishers and some of the biggest news and media companies in the U.S. health's editorial guidelines Published on November 22, 2016 Share Tweet Pin Email Even experts are stumped by multiple sclerosis (MS), the tricky autoimmune disease that affects women two to three times more often than men. There's no diagnostic test for the disease to add to the confusion. Also, one patient can experience wildly different symptoms from another depending on the part of the central nervous system that is under attack from the disease. What experts do know is that MS occurs when the body starts to attack its own central nervous system, and certain factors can raise one's risk of developing the disease. Watch the video to learn about the five traits that might raise your risk of MS. Don't have time to watch? Read the full transcript: MS Risk Factors Smoking: Smokers and ex-smokers are more likely to get multiple sclerosis than people who never smoked. The more cigarettes you've had in your lifetime, the greater your chances of a diagnosis. Age: You can be diagnosed with MS at almost any time and at any age. However, it's most likely to strike between the ages of 20 to 50. 12 Surprising Factors That Up Your Risk of MS Low vitamin D: Our bodies produce vitamin D in response to sunlight. So, people who live closer to the earth's poles or seldom go outdoors are more likely to get MS than those who live closer to the equator or spend time soaking in some sunlight. Other Autoimmune Conditions: Autoimmune diseases tend to cluster together. So, if you have one autoimmune disease, you are at a greater risk of developing others. Gender: The disease is much more common in women, research shows. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit