Treatment with overdoses of vitamin D has been used to treat autoimmune diseases, which occur when the immune system reacts against the body itself, 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 to adjust the dose and avoid unpleasant symptoms and 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 daily exposure of the skin to the sun. To do this, it is recommended to sunbathe for at least 15 minutes a day, with as much skin exposed to the sun as possible, without sunscreen. Wearing light-colored clothing can be a good strategy to facilitate the production of Vit D by skin that spends more time in contact with the sun’s rays.
See more tips on How to sunbathe effectively to produce Vitamin D.
How the treatment works
In Brazil, treatment with vitamin D overdoses is led by doctor Cícero Galli Coimbra and is aimed at patients with autoimmune diseases such as vitiligo, multiple sclerosis, lupus, Crohn’s disease, Guillain Barré Syndrome, myasthenia gravis and rheumatoid arthritis.
During follow-up, the patient takes high doses of this vitamin, between approximately 10,000 and 60,000 IU per day. After a few months, new blood tests are performed to assess the levels of vitamin D in the blood and adjust the dose given in the treatment, which must often be continued for the rest of your life.
In addition to supplementation with this vitamin, the patient is also advised to drink at least 2.5 to 3 liters of water per day, and eliminate the consumption of milk and dairy products, actions necessary to avoid a large increase in calcium in the blood, which would bring side effects such as kidney failure. This care is necessary because vitamin D increases the absorption of calcium in the intestine, and therefore the diet must be low in calcium during treatment.
Why the treatment works
Vitamin D treatment can work because this vitamin acts like a hormone, regulating the functioning of various cells in the body, such as cells in the intestine, kidneys, thyroid and the immune system.
With an increase in vitamin D, the aim is for the immune system to function better, no longer fighting the body’s own cells, interrupting the progression of the autoimmune disease and promoting the patient’s well-being, who manifests fewer symptoms.
