Systemic lupus erythematosus
January 21, 2005 by Linda Lazarides
Filed under Health issues
Some causative factors
- Antioxidant deficiency
- Other nutritional deficiencies
- Toxic overload causing auto-immunity.
Promising nutritional research
Treatment with the hormone dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), sold as a dietary supplement, for 3-6 months in SLE patients with mild to moderate disease resulted in an improvement in indices for overall SLE activity. van Vollenhoven RF et al: An open study of dehydroepiandrosterone in systemic lupus erythematosus. Arthritis Rheum 37(9):1305-10, 1994.
In a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, treatment for 3 months with the hormone DHEA on 28 women with SLE resulted in a decrease in disease activity whereas the placebo group experienced a small increase in disease activity. van Vollenhoven RF et al: Dehydroepeiandrosterone in systemic lupus erythematosus. Results of a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial. Arthritis Rheum 38(12):1826-31, 1995.
Autoimmune diseases such as lupus erythematosus can result from destructive enzymes which escape from lysosomes (digestive particles found inside cells) whose membranes have been damaged by lipid peroxidation (peroxidation is normally prevented by vitamin E). If these enzymes attack and denature normal tissue proteins the immune system may treat the proteins as non-self and initiate antibody attacks. The investigators gave large doses of vitamin E to patients with autoimmune diseases on the grounds that it is a physiological stabilizer of cellular and lysosomal membranes. Finding that lupus and several other diseases responded to the supplements, the researchers postulate that vitamin E deficiency may be involved in the onset of autoimmune diseases by promoting damage to lysosome membranes. Ayres S Jr et al: Is vitamin E involved in the autoimmune response? Cutis 21(3):321-5, 1978.
Information compiled by Linda Lazarides
Naturopathic Nutritionist, Author, Educator
Linda Lazarides is Course Director of the School of Modern Naturopathy and author of eight books on health, nutrition and naturopathy.
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