A new study by Boston researchers found that Vitamin D supplements reduce the risk of Atopic Dermatitis (AD) in children who might be vitamin D deficient. Atopic Dermatitis is an inflammatory skin condition that often affects children and is especially prevalent in winter.
A possible treatment of severe cases is exposure of UV lights, which is a harmful radiation. The new study, however, addresses the importance of vitamin D supplements.
The study involved 100 children in Mongolia, an area where a large percentage of the population suffers from vitamin D deficiency in the winter. The children were supplemented vitamin D orally or as a placebo every day for a month. A smaller yet similar study in 2008 involving 11 children in Boston also supported the results achieved. Oral vitamin D supplementation was seen to improve symptoms of AD.
“The active form of vitamin D induces expression of antimicrobial peptides in the skin and thereby helps prevent skin infection and immunosuppress specific properties in the skin,” read the study.
