Systemic lupus erythematosus supplements, vitamins and herbs natural treatment

Lupus erythematosus shows a broad range of skin symptoms, including acute, subacute and chronic lesions. Systemic lupus erythematosus predominantly affects women and is more common in blacks. Although survival rates have improved, over one half of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus have permanent damage in one or more organ systems. Arthritis and skin manifestations are most common, but kidney, hematologic and neurologic manifestations contribute largely to illness and mortality. Lupus often gets worse during pregnancy and with oral contraceptives. At some point, over 90 percent of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus have polyarthralgias or polyarthritis because of the disease.

Lupus and food
Food that may aggravate lupus include excess calories, excess protein, high fat (especially saturated and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids), and iron. Some people with lupus placed on food allergy elimination diets report improvement in their lupus symptoms; however, this may be related to a decrease of other substances in the diet.

Natural alternatives that may be helpful in lupus:
Some people with lupus placed on food allergy elimination diets report improvement in their lupus symptoms; however, this may be related to a decrease of other substances in the diet. We encourage eating more fish and fewer sweets. Food may play a role in some individuals with this condition.

Fish Oils - 20 grams a day of MaxEPA (fish oil) improved symptoms of systemic lupus erythematosus, while placebo did not.
Lipoic Acid in low dosages
DHEA hormone may help but has side effects, including hair loss.

Substances that may aggravate lupus include excess calories, excess protein, high fat (especially saturated and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids), and iron.

Vitamin D and lupus
Vitamin D deficiency is a risk factor in many diseases that have high morbidity and mortality, including lupus. Vitamin D is an immune influencing hormone with effects on T cells, B cells, and dendritic cells. Animal models of autoimmune disease and epidemiologic studies suggest a role for vitamin D as a modifiable environmental factor in autoimmune disease.

Vitamin E
The efficacy of vitamin E against oxidative damage and autoantibody production in systemic lupus erythematosus: a preliminary study.
Clin Rheumatol. 2007 March. Third Department of Internal Medicine, Wakayama Medical University, 811-1 Kimiidera, Wakayama, Wakayama, 641-0012, Japan.
The hypothesis that reactive oxygen species modification of DNA is involved in the development of autoantibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus SLE is supported by the enhanced reactivity of anti-DNA antibodies to reactive oxygen species -denatured DNA. We studied the efficacy of vitamin E against both oxidative DNA damage and autoantibody production in systemic lupus erythematosus SLE. Urinary 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), an indicator of oxidative DNA damage, and the anti-double-stranded DNA (anti-ds DNA) antibody, a predictor of disease activity, were assayed twice, first during the season with the most intense sunlight and then later in the year. Twelve women among 36 outpatients received vitamin E (150 to 300 mg/day) together with prednisolone. The present study suggests that vitamin E can suppress autoantibody production via a mechanism independent of antioxidant activity.

Lupus and exercise benefit
A pilot study on the effects of exercise in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.
Arthritis Care Res. 2000 Oct;13(5):262-9. Ramsey-Goldman R, Schilling EM, Dunlop D, Langman C, Greenland P, Thomas RJ, Chang RW. Department of Medicine, Division of Arthritis, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
A pilot study was designed to assess the efficacy and safety of different exercise therapies on patient-reported fatigue and functional status. Ten patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were randomly placed in either an aerobic exercise group (group 1: n = 5) or a range of motion/muscle strengthening (ROM/MS) exercise group (group 2: n = 5). Outcome measures assessed at baseline and the end of the study were fatigue, functional status, disease activity, cardiovascular fitness, isometric strength, bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar spine and femoral neck, and parathyroid hormone and osteocalcin as representative bone biochemical markers for bone resorption and bone formation, respectively. Both aerobic and ROM/MS types of exercise were safe and did not worsen SLE disease activity. Patients in both exercise groups showed some improvement in fatigue, functional status, cardiovascular fitness, and muscle strength. Both groups showed increased bone turnover, but BMD was unchanged. Eighty percent of the patients met the compliance standard for the study. This pilot study shows the feasibility of exercise for systemic lupus erythematosus patients. The potential value of this approach shows promise in the routine management of these patients.

Smoking cessation
One of the first steps in the treatment of lupus is to stop smoking since smoking could well lead to lupus flare ups.

Drug cause of lupus
Terbinafine, an oral antifungal agent, which rarely causes cutaneous eruptions, has been implicated as the cause or exacerbation of cutaneous lupus erythematosus in several patients.

Diagnosis of lupus
Systemic lupus erythematosus -- or, more simply, lupus -- arises when the immune system launches a misguided attack on the body's own tissue. Among the most common symptoms are painful, swollen joints, fatigue and skin rash; however, lupus can damage many parts of the body, including the heart and blood vessels.
   Before a patient can be classified with systemic lupus erythematosus, at least four of the following 11 disorders must be present: Malar rash, discoid rash, photosensitivity, oral ulcers, arthritis, serositis, renal disorder, neurologic disorder, hematologic disorder, immunologic disorder, antinuclear antibodies.

Symptoms of lupus
At some point, over 90 percent of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus have polyarthralgias or polyarthritis because of the disease. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) remain the mainstay of treatment in these patients, especially those who have mild polyarthralgias or polyarthritis. NSAIDs may adversely affect renal function, a special concern because 50 percent of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus develop associated nephritis.

Medical therapy for lupus - Lupus treatment
 Two of the common drugs used for lupus treatment are hydroxychloroquine and cyclophosphamide. Rituximab and new anti-B-cell drugs hold promise for the treatment of severe lupus.
Plaquenil - hydroxychloroquine sulfate 200 mg tabs. Side effects include irreversible retinopathy, blurred vision, hair bleaching, alopecia (loss of hair), pruritus, rash, nausea.
   Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) remain the mainstay of treatment in lupus patients, especially those who have mild polyarthralgias or polyarthritis. NSAIDs may adversely affect renal function, a special concern because 50 percent of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus develop associated nephritis.
   The gold standard of established topical treatment for lupus consists of medium- to high-potency corticosteroids. Because face and neck are often involved, side effects of prolonged corticosteroid use are common.
   The use of the immune-suppressing drug cyclophosphamide increases the risk of miscarriage in young women with systemic lupus erythematosus who have unplanned pregnancies. Journal of Rheumatology, July 2008.
   The cancer drug Rituxan, or MabThera, can reduce kidney inflammation in some people with lupus who do not respond to conventional therapy. Genentech and Biogen Idec's Rituxan, known technically as rituximab, is sold by Roche as MabThera. It's designed to deplete immune system B cells.

Hormone replacement in women with systemic lupus erythematosus
Menopause hormonal therapy does not seem to alter lupus disease activity. However, an apparently increased risk of thrombosis seems to be a real threat in women with systemic lupus erythematosus who receive menopausal hormone therapy.

Lupus treatment with topical calcineurin inhibitors
 There is a need of steroid-free topical treatment in lupus. Topical calcineurin inhibitors, tacrolimus and pimecrolimus, are an alternative treatment of cutaneous lupus.  In chronic discoid lupus, hypertrophic plaques do not well respond because of limited penetration. The primary target seems to be the decrease or blocking of cytokine production by activated T lymphocytes.

Weight loss or gain and systemic lupus erythematosus activity
An increased body mass index is independently associated with presence of fibromyalgia but not with lupus disease activity, damage accrual, fatigue or self-reported quality of life in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Lupus natural therapy questions
Q. I have lupus nephritis and now hair loss. What can be done about the hair loss. I am taking prednisone 20 mg medication.
   A. Prednisone can cause thinning of hair and hair loss.

Q. Have you heard of acai berry herb as lupus alternative treatment?
   A. We have not seen any studies with acai berry supplements as a treatment for this condition.

Q. I'm from Singapore and I went through your website as I'm sincerely thanking you for your excellent research. I'm 40 years old female. I'm suffering from Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) with secondary antiphoslipid syndrome on warfarin. I have mainly mucocutaneous manifestaions, and thrombocytopenia with low platelet count and associated with fibromyalgia and depression and rheumatoid arthritis. I was diagnosed with this illness in year 1999. I hope there is any alternative medication to substitute my present warfarin as i see that i have lots of side effect taking warfarin and prednisolone for long term which makes me lost confident in myself as I'm greatly depressed with my overall health condition and I'm most of the time prone to bloatedness and reflux with associated indigestion. I'm also getting treatment from Chiropractors and Osteopath to relief my severe aches and pain. Presently, I'm taking the following medication: warfarin 6.5mg, prednisolone 10mg, hydroxychloroquine 400mg, Xanax 0.25mg, omeperazole 20mg, Motilium 10mg, Calcium and vitamin D 450mg. I hope there is any alternative medication to my above mentioned illness.
   A. Systemic lupus erythematosus studies with natural supplements are quite limited but we hope more scientists focus their attention on this topic. In the meantime, some of the suggestions above may be helpful to you.

A friend of mine has bruising and lupus, she got on vitamin c and grape seed extract recently to try and help and it made lupus flare up badly. Is this supposed to happen, I thought grape seed would calm lupus.
   Lupus can flare up for unknown reasons and it is not clear whether the grape seed extract was the cause. If it happens again on reintroduction then it would make it more likely that there is a cause and effect relationship for her.

Q. Do you think it is advisable to take royal jelly supplement if I was diagnosed with lupus 38 years ago and have been in remission for years? I do have a low white blood count and my immune system.
   A. We really are not in a position to offer individual advice, all we can do is offer general research info on lupus and royal jelly and then it is up to you and your doctor to decide whether royal jelly is appropriate for your particular condition.

Does tribulus terrestris extract help or hurt the natural course of lupus?
   We are not familiar with the use of this herb as an alternative treatment for lupus

natural therapy for lupus vitamins