Lee Swanson Research Update

Vitamin D may Help Prevent Arthritis

April 2005

A study published in Arthritis and Rheumatism reports that vitamin D may affect our immune responses and influence the progression of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Researchers noted that vitamin D is a potent regulator of healthy calcium levels in the body and it may also play a role in regulating immune functions. They designed their study to evaluate the association of dietary and supplemental vitamin D intake with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) incidence.

The diets and supplement usage of nearly 30,000 women between the ages of 55-69 years were studied, with an 11-year follow-up period.

Researchers evaluated whether vitamin D intake from diet and or supplements had an effect on the occurrence of RA in the women. They found that women who took supplemental vitamin D (at least 400 IU per day) were 34% less likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis, leading them to state that, "Greater intake of vitamin D may be associated with a lower risk of RA in older women."

Arthritis and Rheumatism 50(1):72-77, 2004

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