How Vitamin D & Fish Oil Supplements Lower the Risk of Autoimmune Conditions?

What are autoimmune diseases?

Autoimmune disease occurs when the body’s immune system accidentally attacks the normal cells and, in turn, impairs or destroys them. This causes the healthy cells to malfunction and causes pain, discomfort, and other serious effects, such as organ damage, cancers, or death. Common autoimmune conditions are rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, thyroid diseases, inflammatory bowel disease, lupus, etc. The complications tend to increase with age, particularly among women. This is also the cause of high mortality in females. Autoimmune diseases are chronic conditions common with increasing age and the lack of effective treatments cause a big socio-economic burden.

Examples of autoimmune diseases

Autoimmune disease can develop at any stage of life, but it is prevalent among older adults, particularly women. Let us check on some autoimmune conditions to get a clear understanding:

• In rheumatoid arthritis, for example, the body’s immune system attacks the lining of joints, causing inflammation, pain and swelling. 
• In psoriasis, overactive T-cells(immune cells), cause inflammation that creates irritated, scaly patches on the skin. 
• In Type 1 diabetes, the body’s immune cells destroy the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas. 
• In inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Ulcerative Colitis or Crohn’s disease, the immune cells attack the intestinal lining and impair nutrient absorption and thus affecting the overall health of the patient. They often have to depend on steroids and other supplements to control the flare-ups and lead a normal lifestyle.

Vitamin D and fish oil supplements to abate the autoimmune diseases

Vitamin D modulates a wide group of genes involved in inflammation and immunity. It also has been correlated with a decreased risk of several autoimmune diseases in observational studies conducted. Vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids, which are extracted from seafood, have acclaimed their effects on decrease in systemic inflammation and increased immunity, but there are no randomized trials (which is considered as the gold standard in clinical trials) conducted or tested to prove if these supplements can actually decrease the risk of autoimmune disease. 

Researchers planned a trial on the effects of vitamin D and omega-3 fish oil supplements on 25,871 US adults (average age 67; 51% women; 71% non-Hispanic white) with autoimmune diseases. The details such as age, ethnicity, income, education, lifestyle, weight, medical history, diet, supplement use, etc., were recorded at the time of the trial commencement. Vitamin D and Omega-3 fatty acids in the blood were also checked.

Participants were then randomized with vitamin D (2,000 IU/day) or placebo, and omega-3 fatty acids (1,000 mg/day) or placebo, were asked to report any complications of autoimmune disease over an average duration of 5.3-year. The autoimmune conditions of the participants were – thyroid disease, rheumatoid arthritis, polymyalgia rheumatica, psoriasis, etc.

The study found that taking 2000 IU/day of vitamin D or a combination of Vitamin D and Omega-3 fatty acids for five years reduces the frequency of autoimmune disease compared with no supplementation. The significance of this trial is high because these supplements are well tolerated by the body. It is non-toxic and, currently, there are no effective treatments to reduce the incidence of autoimmune diseases.

Taking daily vitamin D supplements or a combination of vitamin D and Omega-3 fish oil points to a lower risk of developing autoimmune diseases. After two years, there seems to be a remarkable effect with the supplementation as per the trial on older US adults.

Reference: DOI: 10.1136/bmj-2021-066452

Risks associated with the supplements

Now, these are over-the-counter supplements, which are easily available in the pharmacy. People should not start consuming vitamin D pills to increase their chances of avoiding the risk of autoimmune disease. Now, this can be seriously causing other health risks, which you will definitely want to avoid. Let us check why!

• Unlike water-soluble vitamins, which the body can easily eliminate, vitamin D is stored in the fat cells of the body. It can accumulate to toxic levels.
• In excess, vitamin D can cause nausea and vomiting, muscle weakness, kidney stones, etc.
• Very high levels in the blood can lead to kidney failure or even death.
• It can also interact with certain medications, like statins and steroids. 
• Omega-3s usually have mild side effects. The supplementation could interact with anticoagulants medications that you consume. So it is advised to consult your doctor before taking any of the supplements. Your doctor can review your medical records and can suggest the best.
  

Natural sources of vitamin D and fish oil

• The body makes vitamin D when the skin is exposed to sunshine.
• Consuming milk and other foods, such as cereals, that are fortified with vitamin D is its excellent source. Many experts say healthy, younger people are not likely to require vitamin D supplements, especially in amounts over the recommended level of 600 IU/day.
• Exposure to ample sunlight, consuming foods rich in vitamin D and including fatty fish in the diet are some alternate ways to keep the levels of vitamin D and omega-3-fatty acids in check.
• Oily fish, such as sardines, herring, tuna, anchovies, and mackerel, are some examples. Fish oil is also sometimes extracted from the livers of other fish, which is called cod liver oil.
  

The World Health Organization (WHO) has suggested eating 1–2 portions of fish per week. However, if you don’t have 1–2 servings of fish in a week, you can take fish oil supplements that can help you get enough omega-3s. It’s important to note that the types of omega-3s found in fish oil have greater health benefits than the omega-3s found in some plant sources.

Conclusion

More randomized clinical trials need to be done to find out if vitamin D and fish oil supplements reduce the risk of autoimmune diseases. The current study is in its seventh year, so we can expect more details to come up in the future. To reduce the risk of autoimmune disease in women of age 55 years and above and men 50 plus, they recommend 2,000 international units (IU) of vitamin D a day and 1,000 milligrams (mg) a day of marine omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil). As mentioned before, always consult your doctor before taking the supplements.

FAQs

• Can you take fish oil and vitamin D together?

Yes. Absorption of vitamin D is found to be better when it is consumed along with or after a meal that has high fats and oils. So fish oil aids in the absorption of vitamin D when consumed together. Absorption of the omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil won’t be interfered with in any way by vitamin D.

• What is fish oil and vitamin D good for?

Together, vitamin D-3 and fish oil can provide several health benefits, including stronger bones, lower blood pressure levels, healthier cholesterol levels and possible cancer prevention support.

• What happens if you take fish oil every day?

Taking more than 3 grams daily might increase the chance of bleeding. Fish oil side effects include heartburn, loose stools, and nosebleeds.