Vitamin D3, or cholecalciferol, is a fat-soluble vitamin that assists in the absorption of calcium and phosphorus from the food you eat. This action is important for the formation and strength of your bones and teeth. The National Institutes of Health lists other important functions of vitamin D3, including maintaining your immune system, keeping your skeletal muscles, heart and blood vessels healthy as well as preventing and treating gum diseases and autoimmune diseases such as the skin condition psoriasis, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Sources and Recommended Intake
The University of Maryland Medical Center notes that food sources of all D vitamins include tuna, salmon, mackerel, sardine, cod liver oil, liver meat, fortified milk, cheese, yogurt and fortified cereals. Most of the vitamin D3 you require is obtained by skin exposure to sunlight. The vitamin is then activated by the liver and kidneys in your body. The recommended daily intake of vitamin D is 600 IU for adults according to the National Institutes of Health. This amount includes vitamin D3 and other D vitamins.
Psoriasis
Psoriasis is a hereditary autoimmune disorder involving the skin and joints. The American Osteopathic College of Dermatology explains that it can also be worsened or triggered by factors such as a poor diet, vitamin deficiencies, excess alcohol consumption, stress, infections and drug reactions in some cases. In psoriasis, the skin cells are triggered by the immune system to multiply cells rapidly that results in thick, scaly and cracked skin patches that can be inflamed, itchy and oozing. Common sites of psoriasis are elbows, knees, lower back, scalp, palms of the hands and soles of the feet.
Vitamin D3 and Psoriasis
The National Institutes of Health reports that the link between vitamin D3 and psoriasis may be due to vitamin D3 receptors on several types immune cells in your body. If you have a deficiency of this nutrient, these immune cells behave improperly, causing an overreaction of the immune system attacking their own skin cells. A noted vitamin D3 deficiency is seen in patients in psoriasis and other autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis.
Vitamin D3 Treatment
As most of the vitamin D3 and other D vitamins your body needs is made by skin exposure to UV light, it is common for people who live in northern areas with less sunlight to have a deficiency. The Mayo Clinic recommends treating psoriasis with topical forms of synthetic vitamin D3, such as Calcipotriene and Calcitriol. This treatment helps in decreasing excessive skin cell growth and formation in in less severe cases of psoriasis. Vitamin D3 treatment can be combined with UV light therapy.
References
- American Osteopathic College of Dermatology: Psoriasis
- Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institute of Health: Vitamin D
- "Journal of Investigative Medicine"; Vitamin D and the Immune System; C Aranow; April 2011
- Mayo Clinic: Psoriasis
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Vitamin D
- MedlinePlus: Vitamin D and the Immune System
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