Vitamin D has been the focus of extensive scientific research with various health applications, and now, new findings suggest that its consumption can be beneficial for patients with psoriasis, an inflammatory disease of the immune system affecting the skin, nails, and joints.
At the Nutrition 2023 congress, the annual meeting of the American Society of Nutrition, it was revealed that vitamin D levels may play a significant role in determining the severity of psoriasis. A large study involving nearly 500 psoriasis cases demonstrated a direct relationship between the severity of the condition and the decrease in vitamin D levels measured through blood tests.
While synthetic topical vitamin D creams are available as treatments for psoriasis, this research proposes that a diet rich in vitamin D or oral supplementation may also provide benefits for these patients, according to Rachel K. Lim, a PhD candidate at Brown University School of Medicine in the US.
The research team, led by Eunyoung Cho, an associate professor in the Department of Dermatology at the Warren Alpert School of Medicine at Brown University, believes that vitamin D impacts the immune response of the body and has direct effects on the cells involved in skin repair, which influences the development of skin diseases.
The study highlights that lower vitamin D levels and deficiencies are significantly associated with greater psoriasis severity. Patients with a smaller body surface area affected by psoriasis tended to have higher mean vitamin D levels, whereas those with a larger affected surface area had lower mean vitamin D levels.
However, it is important to note that people with psoriasis should not increase the intake of vitamin D-rich foods or excessively use supplements without guidance from a specialist.
Beyond its role in psoriasis, vitamin D has been found to regulate the expression of over 3% of all genes in the body, impacting insulin secretion and sensitivity, blood pressure control, the inflammatory process, cell replication, and apoptosis (cell death). Vitamin D has also demonstrated the potential to decrease cell proliferation in normal and cancer cells and induce their differentiation.
Dr. Esteban Jódar, head of the Department of Endocrinology and Clinical Nutrition at Quirónsalud Madrid, explains that vitamin D acts as a transcription factor, activating the expression of certain genes and inhibiting others, some of which play a crucial role in the development of many tumors. Research is ongoing to explore the potential relationship between vitamin D and resistance to anti-tumor therapies.
Vitamin D is an essential nutrient for the proper functioning of the body, responsible for absorbing calcium for strong bones, regulating the immune system, and reducing the risk of infections and specific diseases. It also plays a crucial role in insulin secretion and blood pressure regulation, making it crucial to maintain proper levels of this vital nutrient.