High vitamin D serum levels correlate with higher prevalence of eczema

[Waverunner]

Well, I'm not posting this to prevent anybody from taking Vitamin D. It's just very interesting, that things often are very complicated in medicine. How often have we heard, that vitamin D is very good for us? In my eyes, vitamin D was one of the most promoted supplements during the last years. Vitamin D is important, no doubt about it but there is no guarantee whatsoever, that vitamin D supplementation will benefit the individual patient.

This was the study with the largest sample size up to today, which looked at Vitamin D and eczema. The results were not what we would expect. Higher vitamin D levels are connected to a higher prevalence of eczema, while the lowest Vitamin D levels were connected to significantly less eczema. It would be very interesting to know the causality behind it.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23751100

Allergy. 2013 Jul;68(7):906-10. doi: 10.1111/all.12167. Epub 2013 Jun 10
Heimbeck I, Wjst M, Apfelbacher CJ.

Source
Medical Sociology, Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.

Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Recent studies have yielded heterogeneous results regarding the relationship between vitamin D and atopic conditions. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between serum vitamin D level and the prevalence of eczema in German children and adolescents.

METHODS:
Data were drawn for children aged 1-17 from the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS), a nationwide cross-sectional representative survey. 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) serum concentration was measured in 9838 individuals with eczema and categorized into quartiles. We investigated the association of vitamin D level and eczema by means of logistic regression models.

RESULTS:
Weighted prevalence of eczema was 13.5% (95% confidence interval (CI) 12.6-14.4%). Mean vitamin D level was significantly higher in those with eczema compared with those without (P < 0.0001). Logistic regression revealed an inverse association between low levels of vitamin D and eczema (multivariate OR for quartile 1 vs quartile 2: 0.76 (95% CI 0.61-0.94)).

CONCLUSIONS:
This study suggests that low serum vitamin D level is inversely associated with eczema in German children and adolescents. Prospective studies are required to confirm this result, to discuss a potential opportunity for prevention of eczema.

© 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

 

[Ema]

I think the megadosing of Vit D will be looked back upon as a great mistake. We simply don't know enough about the "whys" to be making blanket statements about optimal Vit D levels.

I still can't figure out why so very few doctors are talking about active vs storage forms of D as well. It can't be a coincidence that so many of us with low 25-OH Vit D have out of control high 1,25 Vit D upon supplementation.

 

[Beyond]

Interesting. I recall this stuff from the time I looked into the marshall protocol. So, @Ema then supplementing with D3 is not advised?

 

[Ema]

Interesting. I recall this stuff from the time I looked into the marshall protocol. So, @Ema then supplementing with D3 is not advised?

I don't know that I would say that...but I would say that those with infections and chronic inflammatory diseases should probably not megadose Vit D without knowing the status of their 1,25 Vit D as well. And then it is some trial and error to find a level of 25-OH Vit D that is not in the toilet but that does not send the 1,25 D spiraling out of control as well. For me, that level of 25-OH is about 50 and I need about 2000 IU of D3 a day to get there. But I suspect it is slightly different for everyone.

This is an interesting look at the issue:

http://lymemd.blogspot.com/2009/12/vitamin-d-retraction-i-got-it-all-wrong.html

 

[Waverunner]

I don't know that I would say that...but I would say that those with infections and chronic inflammatory diseases should probably not megadose Vit D without knowing the status of their 1,25 Vit D as well. And then it is some trial and error to find a level of 25-OH Vit D that is not in the toilet but that does not send the 1,25 D spiraling out of control as well. For me, that level of 25-OH is about 50 and I need about 2000 IU of D3 a day to get there. But I suspect it is slightly different for everyone.

This is an interesting look at the issue:

http://lymemd.blogspot.com/2009/12/vitamin-d-retraction-i-got-it-all-wrong.html

Yeah, it's really not easy. For a few years now I only tolerate bigger amounts of vitamin D (20,000 to 40,000 IU). If I take less (500 to 2,000) IU, I always get itching of the skin and my condition worsens. However, I only take these big amounts during the winter when my vitamin D levels are really low.

 

[rosie26]

This is interesting. In the last week we have had unusual November temperatures of 24-30 degrees everyone here is noticing the burning heat in the sun. It feels like the middle of summer, February weather.

I have been having the most itchy of hands, like dermatitis/eczema for the last week. I wonder if my skin is reacting to the sudden high levels of high sun exposure and Vit D process. ?

 

[Legendrew]

I think supplementing with something like a daily multi-vitamin is fine but I do think extreme supplementing when you do not know if you are deficient is more risky than many realise. That said, i'm on vitamin D3 supplements myself although I have proven secondary hyperparathyroidism caused by a vitamin D deficiency - the problem i'm having is finding out why I have such low vitamin D levels.

 

[Beyond]

I haven´t seen yet ANYONE in ANY health forum having vitamin D tested and it not being either low or very low. What this means I don´t know but if I had to take vit D I would go with micellized drops.

 

[Legendrew]

I haven´t seen yet ANYONE in ANY health forum having vitamin D tested and it not being either low or very low. What this means I don´t know but if I had to take vit D I would go with micellized drops.

I'd take that with a pinch of salt though as very few healthy people would be going to the doctors and getting their vitamin D level tested - certainly health forums are not a good cross-section of a population! When people become ill for any reason there is usually some effect upon vitamin levels within the body just from the immune responses that are taking place. That said though, my point eludes to the common problem which is that vitamin problems usually occur as a response to an ongoing problem and as such supplementing is often going to do little to help the primary problem and will only usually serve to slightly help certain symptoms and often it won't even do that, that is certainly my experience in taking vitamin D, it helps a little with the aches and pains in my joints and muscles but has done little to help my other symptoms.

 

[Beyond]

Yeah pal I fully agree with the idea of seeking the root cause or primary source of problems. Certainty it was NOT vitamin D defficiency! I just pointed out that every "sick" person I have seen testing vit D had it low. Mostly I am talking about chronic illness and autoimmunity. Anyway supplementing an absorbable form of vitamin D can be of some benefit as it affects both the leaky gut thingie and the autoimmunity thingie. I haven´t tried it though, but in this same forum there was a person that got a lot from vitamin D.

 

[Beyond]

I have found this many times. You can find one study saying something and other saying exactly the opposite. There, Vitamin D deficiency linked with atopic dermatitis:

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/128/Supplement_3/S114.1.full.pdf

I would put my money in Vitamin D defficiency being detrimental and high vitamin levels being linked with health rather than illness having seen a few more studies on the subject. Dr Marshall has his own view on this which would validate that high levels of vit 25-D are linked with autoimmunity and chronic illness. However in my opinion it is exactly the opposite. Might be wrong.

I have decided to supplement vitamin D and will see how it affects me. I am defficient anyway.

 

[FancyMyBlood]

Unfortunately it is just an observational study and thus unable to demonstrate cause-and-effect.

I don't know much about eczema, but vitamin D levels might be just a proxy for sun exposure or dietary factors. It also might be that vitamin D levels do have a causative role in eczema. Nobody knows.

This type of research can only establish correlations, not a causal relationship.