Why is it so good for psoriasis?

Vitamin D: Why is it so good for psoriasis?

Psoriasis
September 21, 2021

Vitamin D helps prevent infections by acting as antioxidants to reduce free radical damage on cells. This helps repair damaged proteins during other immune responses causing less irritation. Thus, vitamin D is essential for psoriasis patients.

Benefits of Vitamin D in the treatment of psoriasis:

  • Has antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory properties

It inhibits the growth of keratinocytes (cells that form skin cells). So, proper sunlight exposure is vital for psoriatic patients. It can help inhibit the overproduction of skin cells from the root cause. This is why many people use phototherapy instead of oral medications to treat psoriasis.

  • Produces prostaglandins which are necessary for pain control

Vitamin D is converted into a hormone called calcitriol in the kidney and it also activates an enzyme that produces another active form of vitamin D, 1α-hydroxylase. This produces two prostaglandins, namely PGD2 and PGE2. These two chemicals suppress inflammation and are essential for the healing process. Hence, proper sunlight exposure can help reduce skin inflammation and pain due to sunburn.

  • Inhibits interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels

IL-6 is a growth factor that binds to the receptor present on keratinocytes, leading to the proliferation of cells and psoriatic plaques. Vitamin D inhibits the secretion of IL-6 from keratinocytes when treated with calcitriol, an active form of vitamin D.

  • Used as a complementary treatment

As it has antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory properties, vitamin D is ideal for skin diseases like psoriasis. It is important to get sun exposure, but this may not always be possible. If you stay indoors or wear sunscreen lotions daily, it can prevent the synthesis of vitamin D in the body. Hence, taking cod liver oil or multivitamins containing vitamin D can be beneficial whenever there is decreased exposure to sunlight outside.

How to use vitamin D for psoriasis?

Your doctor can recommend various ways to use vitamin D.

Vitamin D supplements:  It is advisable to take 800 IU of vitamin D daily if you have psoriasis. You can use a multivitamin supplementation that will help achieve the desired vitamin D levels in your blood. It also helps to increase the levels naturally, but it may not be as effective as taking supplements. Your doctor should adequately monitor the dosage.

Vitamin D in your diet:  It can also be used as an alternative treatment to overcome psoriasis. It is crucial to have a proper diet that includes oily fish, eggs, etc., because they are rich in vitamin D.

Topical ointments:   It is advisable to get regular exposure to sunlight. If you are unable to get it daily, you can apply ointments to enhance your body’s vitamin D levels. There is a possibility that these ointments may not reach the areas where psoriatic plaques occur. Hence, these may not help treat psoriasis completely.

Sun exposure: 15 minutes of sun exposure on the arms and legs twice every week is recommended for people with vitamin D deficiency or psoriasis. Avoid sun exposure during the peak hours (from noon to early afternoon). Wear sun-protective clothing, and do not forget to apply sunscreen lotion!

Pros and cons of taking vitamin D

Vitamin D is known to have an antiproliferative effect and is beneficial for psoriasis, eczema, seborrheic dermatitis, etc. Still, there are certain cons when you take vitamin D. It can cause skin dryness, leading to cracking or fissuring depending on the weather conditions.

Always consult a doctor before taking supplements because there are chances for vitamin D toxicity when you consume in high amounts.

If you are looking for a safe and natural way to control the symptoms of psoriasis, you can consider homeopathic treatment.

Vitamin D: Why is it so good for psoriasis?

Homeopathic treatment for psoriasis:

Psoriasis is a skin condition that can cause severe itching, burning, and pain in the skin. It can also affect people psychologically, leading to the embarrassment of having visible symptoms on your skin. Homeopathy is very effective in the treatment of psoriasis as it takes care of the body and mind.

The homeopathic remedies for treating psoriasis are listed below:

1) Psorinum:  It is the best homeopathic treatment for psoriasis. It decreases itching and soreness while providing relief from the symptoms. It also helps to reduce the amount of scaling on the skin.

2) Rhus Tox:  It is also beneficial in treating psoriasis because it helps relieve the burning sensation and itching on your body caused due to psoriasis. It can prevent the appearance of redness. It relieves psoriatic symptoms that you might have been suffering from for a long time now.

3) Thuja Occ:  You should use this homeopathic remedy if your skin turns red without any patches, especially on the palms, soles, or scalp. It reduces the need to scratch your skin and provides relief from pain. It also heals fast-developing lesions that appear after scratching.

4) Gelsemium: This homeopathic remedy has anti-inflammatory properties that help to heal skin lesions and reduce itching.

5) Pulsatilla:  It is one of the most popular homeopathic remedies for psoriasis. It helps relieve the itching of patches on your skin and reduces redness, burning, etc. The effect reaches deep into your body and also calms you psychologically, which directly affects psoriasis symptoms positively.

Many other remedies can help you to treat your psoriasis from the root cause. Do not self-medicate. Always consult an expert homeopathic doctor to treat psoriasis effectively. Dr Batra's® homeopathic treatment for psoriasis is highly effective. We have treated more than 1.41 lakh skin patients successfully over the past 35 years. We have a 94.3% positive treatment outcome rate in treating skin disorders including psoriasis, as authenticated by the American Quality Assessors.  You can take homeopathic psoriasis treatment under our guidance by booking an appointment today!

Authored By

Dr. SANTOSH H GAIKAR

BHMS

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