Vitamin D supplements reduce risk of autoimmune disease

[Amity Island]

This revealed that a dose of 2000 international units (IU) of vitamin D per day reduced the development of autoimmune disease by 22 per cent, compared with the placebo. This is a larger dose than the standard 400 IU recommended by health organisations such as the UK’s Department of Health and Social Care.

Vitamin D supplements really do reduce risk of autoimmune disease

It has long been suspected that vitamin D could help reduce the risk of developing an autoimmune disease, and now we have evidence this is the case – at least for people over 50

www.newscientist.com

 

[Eddy Edson]

This revealed that a dose of 2000 international units (IU) of vitamin D per day reduced the development of autoimmune disease by 22 per cent, compared with the placebo. This is a larger dose than the standard 400 IU recommended by health organisations such as the UK’s Department of Health and Social Care.

Vitamin D supplements really do reduce risk of autoimmune disease

It has long been suspected that vitamin D could help reduce the risk of developing an autoimmune disease, and now we have evidence this is the case – at least for people over 50

www.newscientist.com

Opinion piece by one of the researchers is worth a look: https://www.bmj.com/content/376/bmj.o243

 

[Eddy Edson]

I guess I'd like to some other expert commentary on this, particularly wrt the statistical methods.

The headline "22% reduction" claim was the primary endpoint - 0.78 hazard ratio for confirmed autoimmune disease over the follow up period - but this had an IMO rather weak-looking 95% CI: 0.61 - 0.99. (Table 2)

Looking at subgroups, when broken down into less than the median age of 66.7 yrs old at baseline and greater, the statistical signifiance disappears (SI figure 2). Also for any individual autoimmune disease (Table 2), for females, for non-whites ... (SI fig 2)

The only subgroups with a statistically significant signal seem to be males, people with BMI < 27.1, people with a family history of autoimmune disease.

Likely enough that I'm reading this incorrectly, but I would want to see some commentary from independent experts.

 

[nonethewiser]

Isn"t new news surely, known about this for some time.

 

[mikeyB]

This revealed that a dose of 2000 international units (IU) of vitamin D per day reduced the development of autoimmune disease by 22 per cent, compared with the placebo. This is a larger dose than the standard 400 IU recommended by health organisations such as the UK’s Department of Health and Social Care.

The UK recommended dose isn't to reduce the development of autoimmune diseases, it is recommended to help prevent osteoporosis and consequent fractures in older people. As it happens, I do take a Vit D supplement for that reason, as I am unable to take any exercise. It's a bit late for me to help with any of my four autoimmune disorders.😉

 

[mikeyB]

Isn"t new news surely, known about this for some time.

Absolutely. The lack of sunlight in Northern European societies has long been associated with the increase in MS in those societies. There is a significant increase in that diagnosis in Northern Scotland compared to England, thought be due to the shorter hours of sunshine in the winters.