Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes joint pain in nearly all patients and arthritis in most. The disease causes the body to attack its own organs, tissues and other systems, mistaking them for toxic invaders. It can cause inflammation of the heart and lead to chest pain. Common symptoms include arthritis, fatigue, muscle aches and swelling. Doctors often prescribe medications that help ease symptoms and manage the disease, but vitamins can help by boosting your immune system.
Immune System
The body has natural defenses for fighting off dangerous invaders and infectious organisms. When you have an immune system disorder, such as lupus, your body mistakenly turns on its healthy tissues and organs, resulting in inflammation and potentially causing damage to your heart, lungs, joints, blood and skin, according to a 2008 article in "The New York Times." Immune-suppressing medications, such as steroids, are a common treatment for this disease, but they are often just as damaging as the autoimmune disorder they are meant to fight. In June 1988, the journal "Lupus Alert" reported that corticosteroids often interfere with the absorption of nutrients and prevent cells from getting nutrients. Medications used for the treatment of lupus often deplete vitamins A, C and D, as well as B-complex vitamins.
Vitamins
The official position on vitamin supplementation of the Lupus Foundation of America is that few scientific studies prove that these nutrients are helpful. However, patients with the autoimmune disorder tend to be deficient in vitamin D, or at least have low blood levels of the nutrient. One reason that it's so important for people with lupus to eat a balanced diet is so that they can get the recommended daily allowance of vitamins and minerals. Fish, which the Lupus Foundation suggests consuming twice a week, is a rich source of vitamin A and omega-3 fatty acids, both of which can decrease your risk of developing high blood pressure and cardiovascular problems. Taking vitamins C, E and K-4 have been linked to reducing lupus flares.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that is stored in the liver and has powerful antioxidant activity, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements, or ODS. Antioxidants help protect cells from damage by free radicals that can lead to the onset of heart disease and cancer. The ODS reports that laboratory studies of vitamin E activity show that the antioxidant helps improve immune function. In a study published in the journal "Clinical Rheumatology" in March 2007, researchers found that about 150 to 300 mg per day of vitamin E, combined with other lupus medications, may interfere with key characteristics of the autoimmune disease.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is another fat-soluble immune system powerhouse. Also known as the sunshine vitamin, most people can get the recommended daily allowance by going outside on a sunny day with fully exposed skin -- say, wearing a bathing suit -- for up to 15 minutes. Muscles rely on vitamin D for proper functioning, and nerves need the nutrient for transporting messages from around the body to the brain. Results of a study that looked at people with lupus were published by the journal "Current Opinion in Rheumatology" in September 2008. The study found that vitamin D reverses immune irregularities consistent with lupus. In a July 2011 article, the "New York Daily News" reported that the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research has begun studying the effects of vitamin D supplementation on lupus patients in the hope that the vitamin reduces disease flares.
References
- Lupus Foundation of America: Statistics on Lupus
- "The New York Times"; Uncovering the Mysteries of Immunity, and of Lupus; Andrea Peirce; March 2008
- "Clinical Rheumatology"; The Efficacy of Vitamin E Against Oxidative Damage and Autoantibody Production in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus; E. Maeshima, et al.; March 2007
- "Current Opinion in Rheumatology"; Vitamin D in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus; Diane Kamen and Cynthia Aranow; September 2008
- "New York Daily News"; Lupus Sufferers Get Small Dose of Hope with Vitamin D Treatment Study; Kathleen Lucadamo; July 2011
- "Lupus Alert"; Dietary Guidelines for the Patient with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus; June 1988
