A Supplement Has Been Named That Reduces The Risk Of Rheumatoid Arthritis By 22%

Autoimmune diseases are disorders in which the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells, tissues and organs, writes the author of the Eat This, Not That portal. Among them, for example, rheumatoid arthritis, polymyalgia rheumatica and psoriasis. However, as a recent study showed, daily intake of one vitamin can significantly reduce the risk of their development.

Autoimmune diseases are disorders in which the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells, tissues and organs, writes the author of the Eat This, Not That portal. Among them, for example, rheumatoid arthritis, polymyalgia rheumatica and psoriasis. However, as a recent study showed, daily intake of one vitamin can significantly reduce the risk of their development.

Vitamin D is an important element responsible for a number of functions, for example, it strengthens bones and the immune system, increases muscle strength, and ensures the exchange of information between the brain and the body.

A new study from Brigham and Women's Hospital found that those who take vitamin D supplements (or a combination of vitamin D and omega-3) are less likely to be diagnosed with autoimmune diseases.

Because this vitamin and essential fatty acid reduce inflammation and strengthen the immune system, the research team gathered a group of 25,871 people, whose average age was 67 years. The volunteers took 2,000 international units of vitamin D and 1,000 milligrams of omega-3 fatty acids daily. For some participants, one or both substances were replaced with a placebo.

The study lasted five years, if the volunteers were diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, they had to report it. According to the National Institutes of Health, an autoimmune disease is a disorder in which the immune system functions incorrectly and mistakenly attacks healthy cells, tissues, and organs. This group includes rheumatoid arthritis, polymyalgia rheumatica (pain and stiffness in the muscles of the shoulders, neck, and hips), thyroid disease, psoriasis, and others.

The results of the study were published in the journal BMJ. It turned out that those who took vitamin D had a 22% lower risk of developing an autoimmune disease. It is also interesting that in the last three years of the study, representatives of this group were 39% less likely to report the discovery of an autoimmune disease.

"We were excited to receive new positive results for non-toxic vitamins and supplements that prevent potentially dangerous diseases," said Dr. Karen Costenbader, head of the Lupus Program at Brigham and Women's Hospital and senior author of the study, in a press release. . - This is the first direct evidence that daily supplementation can reduce the incidence of [autoimmune diseases]. In addition, it seems that after two years of taking vitamin D, the effect is more pronounced."

According to the National Institutes of Health, scientists have identified more than 80 autoimmune diseases that affect more than 24 million people in the United States. Moreover, according to the agency's experts, eight million people have autoantibodies, blood cells that indicate the likelihood of developing an autoimmune disease.

According to doctor Amy Gorin, vitamin D deficiency is most often caused by limited exposure to sunlight. "The best way to get vitamin D is to be in direct sunlight, but it's difficult in the winter," she told Eat This, Not That. "In addition, people with dark skin are more likely to develop a deficiency of this vitamin because they have more melanin, a pigment that reduces the skin's ability to obtain vitamin D from sunlight."

Another reason for low vitamin D levels is limited food choices. "Actually, not many foods are a good source of vitamin D, which is why it is of such interest in the public health system," says Horin.

Along with the daily intake of supplements, Horin suggests three foods rich in this vitamin, primarily oily fish. "Salmon is an excellent source of vitamin D. An 85-gram serving contains 570 units of the vitamin," she says.

In addition, there is also good news for mushroom lovers: "half a cup of maitake mushrooms contains 393 international units of vitamin D, and the same volume of porcini mushrooms grown under ultraviolet light contains 366 international units," Horin notes.

Another vitamin D-rich food is actually a drink. We are talking about cow's milk, as well as soy milk. One glass of these drinks contains 120 international units of the vitamin.