A recent prospective study has shown that vitamin D supplementation has a “strongly positive effect” in reducing the incidence of rheumatoid arthritis, Martin Hewison, Professor of Molecular Endocrinology, explains. [embedded content] The recognition that low vitamin D levels were linked with increased risks of a variety of health issues, including common cancers and autoimmune disease, prompted calls for prospective, randomised, […]
Vitamin D deficiency occurs even in sunny parts of the world and one way to tackle it could be fortification of flour, a foodstuff that is used by most communities, suggests Professor of Molecular Endocrinology, Martin Hewison. [embedded content] One reason for low levels of vitamin D is limited exposure to sunlight and countries in the far North or South […]
Vitamin D has a clear role in regulating the immune/inflammatory response and association studies have demonstrated a link between vitamin D deficiency and autoimmune diseases. However, supplementation is complicated by the lack of universal agreement about the levels that are ‘normal’ and ‘deficient’, says Professor Martin Hewison. [embedded content] Vitamin D acts in both the innate and adaptive arms of […]
Recent studies suggest that vitamin D has a much broader role in the human body than its well-documented effects on calcium homeostasis and bone metabolism. It has a role in normal immune function and could play a part in autoimmune disease. IMI spoke to Martin Hewison, Professor of molecular endocrinology at the University of Birmingham, to find out more. [embedded […]
Despite guidelines that call for early and aggressive treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, a new study suggests many older adults are not prescribed disease-modifying medications for their inflammatory autoimmune disease. Researchers at Michigan Medicine used the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey to analyze all ambulatory visits for rheumatoid arthritis by adults 65 years of age and older, representing 7.8 million visits […]
Researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine have made a discovery linking lupus, a potentially debilitating autoimmune disorder, and macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness. The two diseases share a common contributor to harmful inflammation, the scientists found. The insights could let researchers develop new treatments for those diseases and other conditions driven by the newly discovered […]
Recent Comments