Vitamin D Deficiency And Psoriasis

Let The Sun Shine: Is Light Therapy Legit For Treating Psoriasis

Light therapy uses the power of ultraviolet light to help reduce inflammation and slow skin cell production in psoriasis patients. During a phototherapy sesh, the affected area is exposed to artificial UVB light which penetrates the skin to help ease symptoms.

With light therapy, consistency is key. Its important to follow a regular treatment schedule to up your chances of seeing results. Just note, you may also be upping your risk of skin cancer.

Research has shown that ultraviolet light can significantly improve psoriasis symptoms. But some studies have also found this is likely thanks to more than just vitamin D. Bottom line: More research is needed to fully determine why light therapy is so darn effective in treating psoriasis and other skin conditions.

There can be a dark side to vitamin D. While adding a bit of D to your day may help ease psoriasis symptoms, its not without potential side effects.

A 2016 study found that using vitamin D topicals can cause skin to become:

Vitamin D Treatments Target Psoriasis

Study Helps Explain How Ultraviolet Light Therapy and Vitamin D Creams Treat Psoriasis

May 12, 2011 — Ultraviolet light therapy and vitamin D creams are widely prescribed treatments for psoriasis, and now a new study may help explain why they work for so many patients.

Researchers say the vitamin D-based treatments increase the binding of a peptide called cathelicidin to DNA, which, in turn, inhibits the inflammatory response that triggers psoriasis.

The finding may one day lead to better treatments for the painful skin condition that specifically target cathelicidin, study researcher Jurgen Schauber, MD, of Ludwig-Maximillian University in Munich, Germany, tells WebMD.

âWe were able to identify a novel, pro-inflammatory signaling pathway which helps us understand why treatments work,â he says.

Can Vitamin B12 Supplements Help Psoriasis

Again, psoriasis and vitamin B12 deficiency, may or may notbe connected. There is very little scientific proof that taking vitamin B12will help psoriasis. Having said that, a study at the University of Maryland..found that combining vitamin B12 and avocado oil in a topical treatment hasimproved their psoriasis or eczema symptoms.

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Other Nutrients For Psoriasis

Vitamins are not the only types of nutrient that might help reduce psoriasis symptoms.

Omega-3 fatty acids, commonly found in fish and flax seeds, glucosamine and chondroitin, and methylsulfonylmethane may help to reduce inflammation and assist skin health.

While people often recommend the above vitamins to treat psoriasis, the most reliable solution is to eat a nutritious, balanced diet, free from processed food, alongside conventional treatments.

The United States Food and Drug Administration does not regulate dietary supplements. It can be difficult to make sure that all ingredients in a supplement are both of a high quality and mentioned on the packaging.

Ask a doctor to recommend reliable brands that include the ingredients on the label.

Supplements that contain unnamed ingredients may interfere with other medications a person is taking.

The cornerstone of psoriasis treatment is prevention. Avoiding certain triggers can prevent psoriasis from flaring up. This can help to reduce reliance on over-the-counter and pharmaceutical medications.

Some prevention tips to keep in mind include:

• minimizing stress levels
• keeping the skin moisturized, as outbreaks are more likely to occur on dry skin
• staying inside as much as possible during the winter, as cold weather can dry the skin
• using a humidifier during the colder months to help keep the skin moist and prevent outbreaks

Treatment Of Psoriasis With Large Doses Of Vitamin B12

Back in 1953, as reported by Rudolph Ruedemann, Jr., M.D. ofAlbany N.Y. in the JAMA Dermatology, a study was conduction whereby patientswith psoriasis was treated to vitamin B12 injections. At first injections of 30y per cubic centimeter were administered on a weekly basis. Unfortunately theresults were not that impressive.

Then in the spring of 1953, a dose of 1,000 y per cubiccentimeter was administered. While the researchers tried to maintain a certain levelof discipline in both the administration of the injections and in thecooperation of the patients, they werent always successful. There wasdifficulty because some patients were under the care of their local physicians,or from small towns.

The results in the 34 patients that were able to stay withthe treatment for longer than two months, did show some promise. They received1cc of a 1,000 y dose administered as an intramuscular injection once a day fora period of 10 days. Then they were give a maintenance doses , but in some cases the daily doses wenton for up to 20 days or even longer.

While the results of the study may not be that impressive,it should be noted that 10 of the 34 patients showed a 75 to 80% improvement.Another six of the remaining 24 were slowing improving by the end of the study,and in their cases the treatment continued. Five of the remaining 18 experiencea slight reoccurrence of the psoriasis when the treatment was discontinued toosoon. However, once treatment was resumed they showed good results.

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Talk To Your Doctor About Vitamin D Supplements

The NPF says the evidence that vitamin D supplements can ease psoriasis symptoms is weak, and that the best way to get more vitamin D is through food. But if you find you cant bump up your intake of vitamin Drich foods, or if you have psoriatic arthritis, ask your doctor if taking a vitamin D supplement might make sense.

Just be sure not to turn a vitamin deficiency into vitamin overload. Excessive amounts of vitamin D can affect your blood pressure, cause muscle weakness, and lead to gastrointestinal problems.

What Can You Do About A Vitamin D Deficiency

You can address your vitamin D deficiency in a variety of ways. Vitamin D comes as an oral supplement or a topical ointment or cream. You can also boost your vitamin D by supplementing your diet with vitamin D-rich products like cheese, egg yolks, and fatty fish, like tuna. Some foods are vitamin D-fortified, for instance, cereal, orange juice, and dairy products.

Last, but certainly not least, is to get outside during the day and expose your skin to safe amounts of sunlight. Vitamin D is called the sunshine vitamin because the sun helps your body manufacture its own vitamin D.

Whatever is contributing to your psoriasis, the dermatological experts at Skinworks Dermatology can help. To learn more, call the office nearest you or request an appointment online.

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The Effect Of Vitamin D Supplementation On Psoriasis Severity

• Study Details

Studies have indicated an association between lower levels of vitamin D and increased risk of psoriasis. This study investigate if vitamin D supplementation can reduce the severity of the skin disease as measured by Psoriasis Area Severity Index , as well as positively influence the cardiometabolic profile and skin microbiota of persons with psoriasis through a winter season.

Consenting participants will be randomized to high dose vitamin D versus placebo for four months. The participants will be recruited based on their 25-hydroxyvitamin D D)-measurements in the 7th survey in the Tromsø study where 21.083 subjects attended.

Vitamin D For Psoriasis Healing

Vitamin D is one of the most commonly recommended vitamin for psoriasis treatment. When we say vitamin D, it is vitamin D3. Dont get confused with any other form of vitamin D.

Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin which helps in the maintenance of the immune system. It is anti-inflammatory in nature and helps in absorption of various minerals by your body, particularly calcium.

Vitamin D is also known as cholecalciferol. When you take vitamin d through sunlight or foods or dietary supplements, it travels through the bloodstream to the liver. In the liver, it is converted into calcidiol with the help of enzymes. Part of this calcidiol is transformed into calcitriol by the kidney. This calcitriol is the biologically active form of vitamin D which is responsible for all the health benefits of vitamin D. Calcitriol circulates throughout the bloodstream, regulating the concentration of calcium and phosphate. Along with that, it balances the neuro-muscular and immune function.

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Vitamin D Regulation Of Apoptosis In Keratinocytes

Calcitriol stimulates the synthesis of ceramide by inducing the neutral Mg2+-dependent sphingomyelinase and in return, ceramide enhances the pro-differentiating effect of calcitriol on keratinocytes in a feedback loop . It has been demonstrated that physiological concentrations of calcitriol do not initiate apoptosis in cultured keratinocytes but, in contrast, pharmacological concentrations of calcitriol exert a pro-apoptotic effect on keratinocytes .

Using Vitamin D To Treat Psoriasis

Using vitamin D analogues, such as calcipotriene, 1,24-dihydroxyvitamin D3 and 1,252D3, to treat psoriasis is not a new concept and these have been found to be as effective as strong topical corticosteroid creams . These supplements are also well tolerated when used for psoriasis treatment over the longer term.

There has been an increase in the use of combination therapy for psoriasis involving a topical steroid plus a vitamin D analogue in recent years and such prescriptions appear to make up around 10% of treatments in the US .

Many topical and oral treatments for psoriasis have adverse effects, especially when taken long-term, making combination therapies an attractive option for patients. These combination therapies are now more likely to work by affecting the hyperproliferation of keratinocytes that is the result of T-cell mediated autoimmune activity. Vitamin D application appears to be a therapy that works via such a mechanism .

A study published earlier this month found that those with atopic dermatitis were able to achieve improvements in their vitamin D levels through supplementation over a three week period . However, there was no observable change in symptom severity during that time. Longer studies are obviously needed to really assess the effects of improved vitamin D status. A recent Cochrane review noted the following observations from a raft of clinical studies:

Vitamin D and Rosacea

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What Factors Trigger Psoriasis

Certain factors may trigger or aggravate psoriasis symptoms. It is preferable to identify these factors so that they can be avoided to the greatest extent possible.

These precipitating factors include:

The Nutritionist And Vitamin D Supplementations

Supplements are the most important determinant of variation in vitamin D intake A number of studies showed that the daily intake of vitamin D was higher in adults using vitamin D supplements than in those without vitamin D supplementations . Most nutritionists recommend the use of vitamin D3 to treat and prevent vitamin D deficiency, because several studies indicating a higher efficacy for vitamin D3 in raising serum 25D concentrations when compared to vitamin D2 . Although a significant inter-individual variation exists, due to different variables including body weight, sunlight exposure and calcium intake, it has been calculated that supplementation of 1000 IU of vitamin D3 daily leads to an approximate increase in 25D levels by 1020 ng/mL , . Findings from randomised placebo-controlled trials conducted during the winter have shown that each 1 mg of supplemental vitamin D is associated with an increase in serum 25D of between 0.7 nmol/L and 2 nmol/L .

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Where You Can Order A Vitamin D Level Test Online

The United States of America

Heartland Assays is a small mid-west company located in Ames, Iowa and is excited to be partnering with the Vitamin D Council in providing affordable vitamin D blood spot testing to its readers, subscribers and the general public.

The Great Plains Laboratory, Inc. is the global leader in metabolic, environmental, and genetic testing for people with chronic illnesses and diseases. They offer a variety of clinical tests which help diagnose underlying conditions that are not routinely available through other laboratories.

ZRT is a CLIA certified diagnostic laboratory and the leader in hormone and wellness testing. They provide accurate and meaningful test results that assist healthcare providers in making informed treatment decisions. ZRT has developed and refined Vitamin D testing in dried blood spots.

The United Kingdom

Cityassays.org.uk offer a home test kit for Vitamin D using dried blood spot technology. This work is performed in the NHS Vitamin D laboratory that also offers a national Vitamin D service for the NHS in the United Kingdom.

Dermatology Clinic Of The Hospital Helipolis And The Internal Medicine Clinic Of Universidade Federal De So Paulo Brazil

Clinical finding suggests that a daily maintained dose of Vitamin D is safe and effective therapeutic approach for reducing disease activity of autoimmune disorders like vitiligo and psoriasis.The clinical condition of all psoriasis affected participants significantly improved during the treatment.

Before and after of psoriasis patient who was placed on 35,000 iu of vitamin d3 for 6 months

Dr Richard Gallo also states

One of the effects of vitamin D is changing the way cells grow. Since the symptoms of psoriasis on skin include an increase of the skins cells, if you put something on the skin that slows growth, may cause the plaques to become thinner and less scaly.

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What Are The Effective Forms Of Vitamin D

Vitamin D can be classified into two forms, D2 and D3.

Vitamin D3 is the recommended and natural source of Vitamin D that your body produces out of the sunlight, and can also be obtained from animal tissue .

While Vitamin D2 plant-based Vitamin D are derived from mushrooms cured with ultraviolet light. However, nutritionists recommend using D3 because of its potency.

Bioavailability And Influence Of Processing And Cooking

The vitamin D, like other fat-soluble vitamins , is absorbed incorporated in mixed micelles from the intestine into the enterocytes by non-saturable passive diffusion. Subsequently, the vitamin D is transported in the chylomicrons via lymph to the circulation . The more polar metabolite 25D is absorbed better and faster than vitamin D because it is also taken up directly from the proximal jejunum into the portal vein . There are few data on its availability from natural sources. The absorption of vitamin D from supplements may differ depending on the used vehicle substance, such as oils, powders, ethanol . For example, it has been reported that the bioavailability of vitamin D from fortified hard cheese is equivalent to supplements and that vitamin D bioavailability is not influenced by the fat content of the fortified milk .

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How To Test Psoriasis And Vitamin D Deficiency

Vitamin D levels can only be accurately measured by drawing your blood by you or a healthcare practitioner in a medical testing facility. The blood test that you need is called a 25-hydroxy vitamin D test.Ways to get your Vitamin D levels checked

Results in some organizations are posted on their websites and can be checked using your unique identification pin code included in every test package.