According to a study released November
21, 2017 by the University of Birmingham, healthy vitamin D levels
are associated with inflammation prevention. Inflammation is a key
cause of diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, and other
inflammatory diseases. Vitamin D is popularly known as the vitamin
that is made by our bodies when exposed to sunlight, and appears to
be a major factor in preventing arthritis. The study found that
maintaining vitamin D levels, prevents inflammatory disease, but does
not suggest that vitamin D helps to cure once arthritis has set in.
This is not a new idea, previous
studies have lead to the same conclusion that Vitamin D does inhibit
inflammation, the most recent study however seems to suggest that
Vitamin D will not help to heal inflammation once it has already
become chronic.
A study produced in 2012 in The
Journal of Immunology, discovered the specific functions by
which vitamin D appeared to inhibit inflammation. Though the 2012
study was not the first to associate Vitamin D levels with
inflammation, it did make some key findings. In the words of Elena
Govela:
"This study goes beyond previous associations of vitamin D with
various health outcomes. It outlines a clear chain of cellular
events, from the binding of DNA, through a specific signaling
pathway, to the reduction of proteins known to trigger inflammation,"
She continues "Patients with chronic inflammatory diseases,
such as asthma, arthritis and prostate cancer, who are vitamin D
deficient, may benefit from vitamin D supplementation to get their
serum vitamin D levels above 30 nanograms/milliliter."
Since the time of the 2012 study, and long before, there has been a
debate about the proper amount of Vitamin D one should take on a
daily basis, this discussion has continued on to the most recent
study which resolved recently in 2017.
Vitamin D is a well-established vitamin, it has long been known to be
an effective modulator for the immune system. Vitamin D, in
particular can suppress inflammation associated with autoimmune
diseases. Those found to have rheumatoid arthritis have often been
found to be vitamin D deficient. The biggest discovery from this
recent study is that sensitivity to vitamin D decreases in an immune
system already afflicted with inflammation, and thus vitamin D may
not be an effective means to cure inflammation once it has occurred.
In the words of the Senior Author Karim Raza:
"Our findings were unexpected as we initially thought that cells
from the inflamed rheumatoid joint would respond just as well to
vitamin D as cells from the blood. The fact that they don't has
important implications for how we think about using vitamin D to
treat inflammation.
"Unlike previous studies we isolated different immune cell types
from the actual site of disease to determine whether specific subsets
of immune cells (specific T cell groups) have equal sensitivity to
vitamin D."
There are only a few things that have
remained consistent throughout the myriad of studies that have been
conducted which is; getting sun produces vitamin D in the body, and
maintaining sufficient levels of vitamin D inhibits and prevents
inflammation and inflammatory disease. The best wisdom anyone can
get from these studies is to get at least 30 minutes of sunlight
everyday (if you can), this is not medical advise, just a natural
suggestion.
References:
1. ScienceDaily, ScienceDaily,
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/11/171121123308.htm.
2. ScienceDaily, ScienceDaily,
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120223103920.htm.
