Should people with SLE take vitamin D?

    Last Updated: October 25, 2023

    Maybe. Vitamin D is an important supplement to consider in the context of SLE. Many people with SLE suffer from photosensitivity and consequently get little to no sun exposure. This increases their risk for vitamin D deficiency, which is associated with increased disease severity.[1] Some studies find that vitamin D supplementation reduces fatigue in SLE patients[2], while others find no difference in SLE disease activity.[3] However, given the risks associated with vitamin D deficiency, people with SLE should talk to their medical provider about checking their vitamin D levels and supplementing if appropriate.

    References

    1. ^Guan SY, Cai HY, Wang P, Lv TT, Liu LN, Mao YM, Zhao CN, Wu Q, Dan YL, Sam NB, Wang DG, Pan HFAssociation between circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D and systemic lupus erythematosus: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Int J Rheum Dis.(2019-Oct)
    2. ^Ronghao Zheng, Alex Gonzalez, Jing Yue, Xiaolin Wu, Ming Qiu, Lin Gui, Songbai Zhu, Li HuangEfficacy and Safety of Vitamin D Supplementation in Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled TrialsAm J Med Sci.(2019 Aug)
    3. ^Hayashi K, Sada KE, Asano Y, Katayama Y, Ohashi K, Morishita M, Miyawaki Y, Watanabe H, Katsuyama T, Narazaki M, Matsumoto Y, Yajima N, Yoshimi R, Shimojima Y, Ohno S, Kajiyama H, Ichinose K, Sato S, Fujiwara M, Wada JReal-world data on vitamin D supplementation and its impacts in systemic lupus erythematosus: Cross-sectional analysis of a lupus registry of nationwide institutions (LUNA).PLoS One.(2022)