Treatment with vitamin D overdoses has been used to treat autoimmune diseases, which occur when the immune system reacts against the body, causing problems such as multiple sclerosis, vitiligo, psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease, lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis and type 1 diabetes .
In this treatment, very high doses of vitamin D are given daily to the patient, who must maintain a healthy routine and follow medical supervision well to adjust the dose and avoid unpleasant symptoms of possible side effects of the treatment.
However, it is important to always keep in mind that the main source of vitamin D is its production by the body itself through exposure of the skin to the sun daily. For this, it is recommended to sunbathe for at least 15 minutes a day, with the maximum of skin exposed to the sun, without sunscreen. Wearing light clothing may be a good strategy to facilitate the production of Vit D by the skin that stays in contact with the sun's rays longer.
See more tips on How to take sun effectively to produce Vitamin D.
How Treatment Works
In Brazil, treatment with vitamin D overdoses is led by the physician Cicero Galli Coimbra and is aimed at patients with autoimmune diseases such as vitiligo, multiple sclerosis, lupus, Crhon disease, Guillain Barré syndrome, myasthenia gravis and rheumatoid arthritis.
During follow-up, the patient takes high doses of this vitamin, between about 10, 000 to 60, 000 IU per day. After a few months, new blood tests are redone to assess blood levels of vitamin D and adjust the dose given in the treatment, which often must be followed for the rest of life.
In addition to supplementation with this vitamin, the patient is also instructed to drink at least 2.5 to 3 liters of water per day, and eliminate the consumption of milk and dairy products, attitudes necessary to avoid a large rise in calcium in the blood, which would have side effects like kidney malfunction. This care is necessary because vitamin D increases the absorption of calcium in the intestine, so the diet should be low in calcium during treatment.
Because the treatment works
Vitamin D treatment can work because vitamin D acts as a hormone, regulating the functioning of various cells in the body, such as cells in the gut, kidneys, thyroid, and immune system.
With the increase of vitamin D, it is intended that the immune system works better, not fighting the cells of the body itself, interrupting the progression of the autoimmune disease and promoting the patient's well-being, which presents fewer symptoms.
