Vitamin D and Rheumatoid Arthritis

The warmer weather is on its way and it is the perfect opportunity to get outside and grab some rays.

The best source of vitamin D in sunshine.  In just 15 to 20 minutes per day outside in the sun your body will absorb all the vitamin D it needs for the day.  But beware some RA medications like methotrexate make you more sensitive to the sun.  And steroids interfere with absorption of vitamin D.  The best time to get the maximum benefit is when the sun is directly overhead.  It is not necessary to get all 15 minutes at the same time .  You can split up the exposure to 5 minutes, 3 times per day to get the same benefit.

The human body manufactures vitamin D when exposed to the sun.  It also can be found in certain products such as milk fortified with vitamin D. It is also found in fish, eggs and cod liver oil. Vitamin D is essential for promoting calcium absorption  for healthy bones.  Vitamin D has been shown to reduce inflammation and regulate immune function.