A daily vitamin D postscript could reduce the rate of autoimmune disease by 22 percentage – at least in the over-50s , a new cogitation published this week in theBMJhas show up
Vitamin cholecalciferol – technically atype of steroid hormone – is make naturally in the body from exposure to the Dominicus . Even though its line verbal description is to regulate the level of calcium and phosphate in the physical structure , making it nominally a bones - and - dentition kinda vitamin , it ’s long been suspected to have a good issue on the immune system as well .
While investigator have long had reason to think vitamin D supplements could be used to treat or preclude autoimmune disease , a causal link between the two has never been institute – until now .
“ We know vitamin ergocalciferol does all form of wonderful things for the immune system in brute subject , ” fourth-year author Karen Costenbader toldNew Scientist . “ But we have never proven before that giving vitamin 500 can keep autoimmune disease . ”
In a huge , foresightful - term randomized and double - blind trial – jolly much the gilt standard – researchers from Brigham and Women ’s Hospital put out to investigate two likely supplement ’ power to prevent autoimmune disease : vitamin D , and omega 3 fatty dot . Nearly 26,000 participants , all above the age of 50 , were enroll from across the US and willy-nilly assigned one of four casual regimens : either one vitamin D and one placebo supplement , one Z 3 and one placebo supplement , one vitamin D and one omega 3 supplement , or two placebo addendum .
“ The great affair about randomise trials is they really serve the question of causation , ” Costenbader told New Scientist .
While the group taking only omega 3 supplement also saw a reduction in the five - twelvemonth relative incidence of autoimmune disease , the effect was not as big as for either group assigned vitamin 500 accessory .
The outcome was even more marked after the first two year , rising from 22 pct to 39 percent – an overall reduction of nearly two fifths .
“ It is exciting to have these new and positive results for non - toxic vitamins and supplements preventing potentially highly pathologic disease , ” Costenbader say in astatement .
“ Now , when my patients , colleague , or champion involve me which vitamins or supplements I ’d urge they take to reduce danger of autoimmune disease [ … ] I advise vitamin D 2000 IU a day and marine omega-3 fatty acid ( fish petroleum ) , 1000 mg a day – the DoS used in [ this field of study ] . ”
Originally , the sketch – called VITAL – intended to look into whether vitamin D and Z 3 fatty pane supplements could reduce the peril for developing Cancer the Crab , meat disease , and stroke in people without a history of the conditions .
Just before the task was launched , however , the team decided to run an redundant written report looking at the rates of autoimmune disease – condition like rheumatoid arthritis , polymyalgia rheumatica , autoimmune thyroid disease , and psoriasis – in the study participants .
“ hand the benefits of vitamin D and omega-3 for reducing rubor , we were in particular interested in whether they could protect against autoimmune diseases , ” Centennial State - author JoAnn Manson , director of the parent VITAL test , say .
While the effect are for sure encouraging , the researchers know there is still more work to do . The squad hopes their study will further professional society to update guidance on supplements – the social disease in the trial are much higher than those commonly recommend by wellness body such as the USA’sFood and Nutrition Boardor the UK’sNHS – and they also trust to cover the written report to let in a younger demographic .
“ Autoimmune disease are uncouth in older adults and negatively affect health and life anticipation . Until now , we have had no testify agency of preclude them , and now , for the first time , we do , ” first author Jill Hahn enjoin .
“ It would be exciting if we could go on to control the same preventative effects in younger soul . ”
