Vitamin D3 is responsible for protecting the body from sickness and disease, including arthritis. There is evidence from scientific studies that shows that vitamin D is helpful for different types of arthritis, whether caused by inflammation or the degeneration of tissue. Seek the advice of a medical professional before trying to prevent, treat or cure any arthritis-related condition.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Vitamin D3 has been found to help people with rheumatoid arthritis because it works specifically with both the immune and skeletal systems. A study published in "Arthritis & Rheumatism" in January 2010 found that vitamin D3 displayed bone-sparing attributes by preventing bone loss caused by the steroids used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is caused by a malfunctioning immune system and displays a circannual pattern meaning is tends to be worse during the winter months. This is because people typically receive less sunlight, which is required for the creation of vitamin D in the skin. There are receptors in the body contained within the immune system that take in an early form of vitamin D and convert it to a hormone form of vitamin D that the body can use support joint and bone health.
Inflammatory Arthritis
Inflammatory arthritis refers to pain in the joints that is usually felt first thing in the morning, unlike other types of arthritis that worsen throughout the day due to joint usage. Also, this type of arthritis is not caused by degeneration but by inflammation. The term inflammatory polyarthritis is used to describe this condition when it affects four or more joints. A study published in July 2007 in "Arthritis and Rheumatism" of 206 elderly patients with inflammatory polyarthritis showed that patients with higher levels of vitamin D in the blood reported fewer hurting joints. The researchers measured the blood levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, which is the form of vitamin that the body makes from vitamin D3. So higher levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D indicate that vitamin D intake from either diet or sunlight is sufficient. Therefore, the researchers recommend that vitamin D intake is considered for joint health, particularly for the elderly.
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is a type of degenerative arthritis that results in the gradual loss of the cartilage that serves as protective cushioning in between joints. A study published in August 2009 in the "Journal of Clinical Rheumatology" of 1,248 elderly adults found that blood levels of vitamin D related to the progression of the disease. Vitamin D levels were associated with less advanced osteoarthritis of the knee and also with higher bone mineral density. The researchers measured the form of vitamin D produced by the body from vitamin D3.
References
- Arthritis & Rheumatism: 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 Modulates Th17 Polarization and Interleukin-22 Expression by Memory T Cells From Patients With Early Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Arthritis and Rheumatism: Association Between Serum Vitamin D Metabolite Levels and Disease Activity in Patients with Early Inflammatory Polyarthritis
- Journal of Clinical Rheumatology: Vitamin D Status, Bone Mineral Density, and the Development of Radiographic Osteoarthritis of the Knee: The Rotterdam Study
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