Lupus is a chronic disease in which the immune system attacks the tissues of your body, misidentifying them as intruders akin to viruses and bacteria. According to the Lupus Foundation of America, an estimated 1.5 million Americans have lupus and the disease is more common in women of childbearing age. The periodic flareups of lupus cause inflammation, pain and tissue damage and can range from mild to life-threatening. Most people, however, live a normal lifespan with lupus, taking medications to treat the symptoms. Certain supplements may also help to restore balance to your immune system, decreasing the risk of symptoms.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E actually consists of eight antioxidants but only one, alpha-tocopherol, is found in your body in the blood and tissues. Antioxidants remove substances known as free radicals from your body. Free radicals are involved in destruction of the membranes of your cells and protects the fats in low density lipoproteins from being oxidized, according to the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University. For people with lupus, alpha-tocopherol specifically affects the expression and work of molecules and enzymes in both immune and inflammatory cells.
Selenium
Selenium is a trace mineral that your body uses to manufacture antioxidants known as selenoproteins. Selenoproteins help to regulate the functioning of your thyroid and play a role in immunity. The National Institutes of Health explains that a selenium deficiency is characterized by a compromised immunity, leading to vulnerability to illness. Individuals living with gastrointestinal problems that impair the absorption of nutrients are at highest risk for a selenium deficiency. People who have chronic inflammation and infection often also have low levels of this trace mineral.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are essential fatty acids that your body is unable to manufacture. This means you either have to eat omega-3 rich foods like fatty fish and flax seeds, or take an essential fatty acid supplement, available at your local health food store. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, essential fatty acids are effective in reducing inflammation and decrease your risk of several chronic diseases. Essential fatty acids may also help decrease the symptoms of pain and inflammation that are associated with lupus.
Dehydroepiandrosterone
Dehydroepiandrosterone, or DHEA, is a hormone produced by your adrenal glands, ovaries and testes and, according to Dr. Alan R. Gaby of the Bastyr Center for Natural Health, appear in low levels in people with lupus. DHEA is known for its anti-inflammatory properties and for its ability to regulate the immune system. This is important if you have lupus, since it is a disease of impaired regulation of the immune system. Supplemental DHEA may help to decrease lupus flare-ups and thus, decrease potential damage caused by the disease.
References
- Lupus Foundation of America: What is Lupus
- "Clinical Rheumatology": The Efficacy of Vitamin E Against Oxidative Damage and Autoantibody Production in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Preliminary Study.
- Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University: Vitamin E
- National Institutes of Health: Selenium
- University of Maryland: Omega-3 Fatty Acids
- Bastyr Center: DHEA Effective Against Lupus
