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What do Antioxidants Have to Do With Psoriasis?

Wednesday, October 7th, 2009

An antioxidant helps to prevent the oxidation of other molecules.  Oxidation is reaction by which one molecule takes electrons from another molecule.  This process is facilitated by the presence of oxygen.  Oxidation leaves the latter molecule unstable, as a free radical.  These free radicals spin off, wreaking havoc on other cells in chain reactions that can cause widespread cellular damage.

Antioxidants step in to cut off this process before it begins by allowing themselves to become oxidized instead of any other surrounding cells.   Antioxidants are more prone to loose their electrons than the other cells around them, which they do without causing additional, collateral damage.

Common antioxidants include: Vitamins A, E and C as well as Selenium and other herbal supplements.  The body also creates its own antioxidant enzymes.

Connection to psoriasis: Free-radicals, mentioned above, have been attributed to the development of the scaly skin that is a common side effect of psoriasis.

The relationship between oxidants / antioxidants and psoriasis is still being explored.  A connection has been drawn mainly from an imbalance of these molecules in skin affected by psoriasis, including an abundance of oxidants and a dearth of antioxidants.

The goal with antioxidants, as with most aspects of health, is balance.  If you’re healthy all around then your body will have a healthy level of antioxidants.  Taking too many antioxidant supplements with the intention of super-charging your system will most likely cause more damage than good.

Vitamin D and Being All Around Healthy Helps to Fight off Psoriasis

Wednesday, October 7th, 2009

Maintaining a balanced level of Vitamin D has been associated with alleviating the effects psoriasis.  This is especially true for people who are vitamin D deficient.  Vitamin D promotes quick healing in the skin, strong bones and helps promote effective mineral absorption in the body.

The effects of balanced levels of vitamin D seems to be related to the generally positive effect that sunlight has on psoriasis.  Exposing your skin to some sunlight every once in a while allows your skin to produce pretty much all the vitamin D that your body needs.

So, while it is probably true that sunlight specifically helps to fight back psoriasis, it is probably also the case (maybe even more so) that sunlight is necessary for everyone (psoriatic or not) to have an all around healthy life.  Having a balanced, healthy life — including exercising, going outside, sleeping and eating healthy natural food — promotes maximum health.  These things also happen to be labeled natural “remedies” for psoriasis.  When you string them all together, it no longer seems appropriate to call them “remedies” — “things we should be doing to stay healthy” might be a better label.

Definitely be cautious about taking vitamin D as a supplement, however, since taking too much will throw off the balance of minerals in your system (calcium and iron in particular) and thus cause a general ruckus in your bodily systems.  But this shouldn’t surprise you since taking too much of pretty much anything will throw off your physical health.  If you must take vitamin D supplements, a doctor will be able to tell you how much you should take as well as with what other supplements (it is not recommended that anyone take vitamin D by itself).

Can Vitamin D Treat Psoriasis?

Monday, September 28th, 2009

Vitamin D is used around the world as one (of many) supplements that can treat psoriasis.  As an initial observation, this makes sense since Vitamin D is the nutrient that the body absorbs as a result of being out in the sun.

However, it should be noted that taking too much vitamin D (or derivatives thereof) can cause a variety of hazardous side effects, including hypercalcemia (too much calcium in the blood),  which causes nausea, disorientation, kidney failure, high blood pressure and coma.  Also, if you already have too much calcium coursing through your veins then vitamin D can increase your risk of developing kidney stones.  How much of a Vitamin D supplement is “enough’ (not too much) varies case by case, but the general consensus in the medical community is “less is more.”

Definitely consult your doctor before loading yourself up with vitamin D.

Calcipotriol (aka calcipotriene in the U.S.) is a derivative of vitamin D, which is administered as a topical treatment (cream) to treat psoriasis.  This drug has been proven to suppress excessive skin cell production and thus dramatically improve plaque psoriasis in particular.  It has also proven to be much safer than many other Vitamin D psoriasis treatments.  In the U.S. it is called “Dovonex” and is available by prescription only.