HealthCert Blog

Are vitamin D supplements an effective treatment for psoriasis in older patients?

Vitamin D deficiency does not cause psoriasis, but it may impair the body’s ability to keep skin healthy. Vitamin D deficiency is quite common in people with chronic plaque psoriasis.

A recent study published in the Journal of Dermatological Treatment investigated the clinical effects of vitamin D supplements on psoriasis patients aged 50 to 84 years.

A total of 65 adults participated in a randomised, controlled trial over 12 months. Of the 65 participants, 23 were allocated to vitamin D and 42 to placebo.

There were no significant differences at baseline between the two groups. Further, there were no significant differences between the groups in all the psoriasis outcome measures over the period of a year.

It was concluded that vitamin D3 supplementation is not recommended as a treatment for mild psoriasis.

Read more recent research on psoriasis.

Source:
Jarrett, P. et al. (19 September 2017.) A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of the effect of monthly vitamin D supplementation in mild psoriasis. Journal of Dermatological Treatment. Pages 1-5. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09546634.2017.1373735.

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