Vitamin D and Its Link to Lupus (SLE)

A study, published on July 31, 2025, explores how Vitamin D levels relate to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), an autoimmune disease.

Researchers reviewed 43 studies involving 2,940 SLE patients and 2,458 healthy people to understand Vitamin D’s role in lupus risk and severity.

Key Findings:

• Lower Vitamin D in SLE Patients: People with SLE had much lower Vitamin D levels (by about 10 ng/mL) compared to healthy individuals.

• Link to Disease Severity: Lower Vitamin D levels were tied to worse lupus symptoms, as measured by the SLEDAI score (a tool to assess lupus activity).

• Impact on Immune Markers: Low Vitamin D was linked to higher levels of anti-dsDNA antibodies (a marker of lupus activity) and lower levels of C3 and C4 (proteins that help the immune system). Higher Vitamin D levels were associated with better C3 and C4 levels.

• Study Quality: The studies were evaluated for quality, and while results were consistent, some limitations like study biases and language restrictions suggest caution in interpreting the findings.

Conclusion: Low Vitamin D levels are strongly linked to a higher risk and worse symptoms of lupus. Maintaining healthy Vitamin D levels may help manage lupus, but more research is needed to confirm these findings due to some inconsistencies in the studies.

Source: DOI: 10.1111/1756-185x.70379