We all know that a vitamin a day keeps the doctor away. Therefore, it wasn’t shocking when a new study revealed that combining Vitamin D and Omega-3 fatty acids could reduce the risk of autoimmune diseases. Both supplements have some similar benefits. The American College of Rheumatology’s ACR Convergence 2021 showed that people who take these nutrients over a long time lowered their chances of developing the autoimmune disease by 25 to 30%.
They placed over 25,000 adults in four groups and tested them for five and half years. The group breakdowns consisted of the following: The first group took both an omega-3 and vitamin D placebo. The second took 1,000 milligrams of omega-3 fatty acids and 2,000 international units of vitamin D.; the third group of participants took an omega-3 placebo and 2,000 international units of vitamin D. In comparison, the fourth group took 1,000 milligrams of omega-3 fatty acids and a vitamin D placebo. Furthermore, researchers noted if a participant experienced an autoimmune complication.
Vitamin D & Omega-3 Fatty Acids Fights Off More Than Autoimmune Disease
Vitamin D is one of the most popular supplements in the U.S. It is excellent for bone strength, heart health, etc. However, Vitamin D deficiency is not talked about enough. Unfortunately, studies show that type 2 diabetes, IBS, and MS are more prevalent in individuals lacking Vitamin D. When looking into the different levels of Vitamin D, D3 is more effective at elevating vitamin D levels in the bloodstream than D2. In addition, D3 helps trigger a critical immune system response to bacterial and viral infections, while D2 has the opposite effect.
Although Vitamin D is a popular supplement, let’s take a deeper look into the benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids. Outside of sharing similar benefits, Omega-3 fatty acids can help with the following issues:
- Depression and anxiety
- Improve eye health
- Can promote brain health during pregnancy and early life
- Reduce the symptoms of ADHD in children
- Reduce symptoms of metabolic syndrome
- Fight against inflammation
- Improve mental health disorders
- Can fight age-related mental decline and Alzheimer’s Disease
The research was inspired by an older study that showed that when individuals receive enough Vitamin D from the sun and their diets, they can ward off diseases such as arthritis and inflammation.
