DO YOU TAKE VITAMIN D? A new study suggests that taking daily vitamin D and fish oil supplements may reduce the probability of developing autoimmune disorders.

Autoimmune disorders include psoriasis, thyroid diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, and polymyalgia rheumatic (the last disease causes muscle discomfort and stiffness in the hips and shoulders).

Today, we explore recently released study results associating vitamin supplementation with a lower chance of getting an autoimmune condition.

Autoimmune diseases

Autoimmune diseases are an inflammatory immune response to one's tissues. These conditions are the third leading cause of morbidity in the industrialized world and are a leading cause of death among women.

Let's look at two more common autoimmune diseases, psoriasis, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Psoriasis

Psoriasis affects over three percent of the population in the United States, striking more than 7.5 million adults. This immune-mediated disease has no apparent cause.

One may see visible manifestations of the inflammation associated with psoriasis. For example, there can be raised plaques and scales on the skin. The overactive immune system increases skin cell growth.

Our skin cells grow entirely and shed in a month for most of us. Imagine that process happening in three or four days. With psoriasis, the skin cells don't shed; instead, they pile up on the skin surface.

The resultant plaques may itch or burn. While plaques can occur anywhere on the body, the elbows, knees, and scalp are the most common sites. Moreover, psoriasis-associated inflammation can affect other tissues and organs, including the joints.

Psoriasis symptoms typically start between ages 15 and 25 but can begin at any age.

Rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis mainly hits the joints, including the hands, wrists, and knees. The joint lining becomes inflamed, resulting in joint tissue damage and chronic pain. Some have unsteadiness or deformities (misshapen joints).

Unfortunately, rheumatoid arthritis can attack other tissues, including the heart, lungs, and eyes. When individuals have symptoms worsening or flares, there can be pain, swelling, or stiffness in more than one joint. Others have weight loss, tiredness, weaknesses, or fever.

Women who breastfed their infants have a decreased risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis. The risk is cut in half among women who breastfeed for two years or more, according to a 2004 study from Harvard.

Photo by Lukas Rychvalsky on Pexels.com

Autoimmune disease, vitamin D, and more

To see whether vitamin D and long-chain omega 3 fatty acids reduce autoimmune disease risk, researchers conducted a randomized clinical trial with over 25,000 participants. Half of the participants took 2000 IU of vitamin D each day, with the other half receiving a placebo.

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