Psoriasis and Alcohol: 4 Reasons to Drink Less

From everydayhealth.com

If you have psoriasis, you’ve likely experienced itchy, scaly, discoloured patches on your skin that can be annoying and uncomfortable. Psoriasis symptoms can disrupt sleep, and the condition is linked with psoriatic arthritis, which can cause pain and joint stiffness.

Because of its symptoms, psoriasis can impact how you feel not only physically but also emotionally. Research suggests this challenge has led many people with the chronic autoimmune disorder to turn to alcohol.

“There is no question people with psoriasis drink more than others — there are many epidemiological studies showing that,” says Mark G. Lebwohl, MD, a dermatologist and the chairman emeritus of the Kimberly and Eric J. Waldman Department of Dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City.

“Does alcohol make psoriasis worse, or does psoriasis make people consume more alcohol? It’s much easier to demonstrate the latter than the former,” he adds.

Indeed, although some research has shown that alcohol worsens psoriasis symptoms, and may even trigger flares, other studies suggest otherwise.

“Studies to date have been mixed, but it’s been observed by many dermatologists who treat psoriasis that people with the condition become fairly ill after binge drinking, and part of that is that their psoriasis symptoms worsen,” Dr. Lebwohl notes.

In addition, many people with psoriasis also have other health problems — from overweight or obesity to high blood pressure or heart disease — and “drinking alcohol doesn’t make any of those things better,” he adds.

Here are four reasons to limit alcohol consumption if you have psoriasis. 

Increased Severity of Symptoms

Although the exact cause of psoriasis remains a mystery, what is known is that the condition involves problems with the immune system and inflammation.

Normally, the immune system uses inflammation to fight off infections or recover from injury. If you have psoriasis, however, your immune system uses inflammation in error, resulting in the symptoms of the condition.

Alcohol affects the function of brain chemicals called neurotransmitters, which impact your behaviour and body’s responses, including the immune response. 

It’s possible that neurotransmitters also trigger the body’s response in psoriasis. Research suggests that the chemical messengers may also play a role in the inflammation process with psoriasis. That’s just one theory, though.

Meanwhile, recent studies have shown that alcohol may negatively impact the skin barrier, the outermost layer of the skin that functions like a brick wall around the inner layers, preventing moisture from escaping and allergens and viruses from entering.

The skin barrier is made up of skin cells called keratinocytes. Alcohol may cause these cells to proliferate, disrupting the function of the skin barrier and making it easier for allergens and viruses to enter it, studies have found.

This could worsen the symptoms of psoriasis, research suggests.

                                                         Excessive drinking can worsen psoriasis symptoms and interfere with treatment.
                                                                                                                             Martí Sans/Stocksy; Everyday Health

Impaired Effectiveness of Treatments

Alcohol may also limit the effectiveness of certain psoriasis treatments and reduce a person’s adherence to their treatment regimen.

A 2021 analysis found that excessive alcohol consumption was associated with reduced response to both conventional and biologic systemic treatments.

“[Biologics] are the newer and better drugs we have to treat psoriasis,” Lebwohl says.

Furthermore, a study published in 2022 found that any alcohol use at all was associated with a higher risk for treatment failure among people with psoriasis on biologic therapy.

Part of the reason for this is that people with psoriasis who drink are less likely to adhere to their treatment as prescribed.

At least one study has found that drinking alcohol is a key reason many people with psoriasis don’t follow their treatment course as recommended by their doctor, which ultimately influences how well these drugs work to control symptoms.

Raised Risk of Comorbidities

Comorbidities are medical conditions that coexist with another diagnosis and may affect your health and treatment as a result.

Because of psoriasis’s effect on the immune system, people who have it are at an increased risk for certain comorbidities.

Here are the most common comorbidities associated with psoriasis and their potential relationship with alcohol consumption.

Psoriatic Arthritis If you have psoriasis, you’re at high risk for psoriatic arthritis, which occurs when the inflammation caused by the condition affects your joints. About 30 percent of people with psoriasis develop psoriatic arthritis, research shows.

Most studies assessing the relationship between alcohol use and psoriatic arthritis risk among people with psoriasis have found little if any correlation. But a 2020 analysis observed that people with psoriasis who consumed one to three alcoholic drinks per day had a 57 percent higher risk for psoriatic arthritis.

Heart Disease People with psoriasis are already at increased risk for heart disease. Alcohol use is also a known risk factor for heart problems, as it has been shown to increase blood pressure, and it has been linked with conditions such as coronary heart disease, stroke, peripheral arterial disease, and cardiomyopathy.

Liver Disease Alcohol use can cause liver disease, and an analysis of data from multiple studies published in 2022 found that people with chronic plaque psoriasis are nearly twice as likely to develop metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) (formerly known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease), as people who don’t have psoriasis.

“People with psoriasis tend to be overweight or obese, which means their lipid levels tend to be higher,” Lebwohl says. “That’s why they are at higher risk for fatty liver disease.”

Lipids are organic compounds in the body that include fats and cholesterols.

Because both alcohol use and psoriasis can increase a person’s risk of liver problems, dermatologists writing in the American Journal of Clinical Dermatology recommend that people with psoriasis be discouraged from “excess” alcohol consumption.

In addition, several of the newer biologic therapies for psoriasis carry U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warnings concerning potential harm to the liver, according to Lebwohl, much like the drug methotrexate, which, though older, is still often used to treat psoriasis (at least in small doses).

“By themselves, these drugs are no more harmful for the liver than many others we use all the time,” Lebwohl says.

But some drugs, including methotrexate, can lead to hepatic fibrosis when used in combination with alcohol.

This could lead to serious health complications, including cirrhosis.

Possible Increase in Mental Health Issues

Numerous studies have shown that people with psoriasis often have depression, and a significant percentage have anxiety, sometimes along with depression. Depression and anxiety are often related and are themselves comorbidities for each other.

One study found that people with psoriasis had a 21 percent higher risk of depression and a 17 percent higher risk of anxiety than the general population.

Although some studies have found that excessive alcohol use among people with psoriasis is associated with higher rates of depression or anxiety, that’s not always the case.

Still, rates of depression and anxiety are higher among people with alcohol use disorder, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, and alcohol use is known to worsen symptoms of anxiety, while reduced consumption may lead to “substantial reductions” in depression symptoms.

If you’re concerned that your alcohol intake is affecting your mood, your psoriasis, or any other part of your life negatively, talk to your doctor about alcohol use disorder treatments. Options include therapy programs, support groups, medication, and, often, a combination of these.

The Takeaway

• If you have psoriasis, cutting back on alcohol can benefit your skin and your overall health.
• Alcohol can interact with some commonly used psoriasis treatments and lower the chances you’ll follow your treatment regimen.
• Alcohol raises the risk of heart and liver disease and may raise your risk of psoriatic arthritis.

https://www.everydayhealth.com/skin-conditions/psoriasis-and-alcohol-reasons-to-drink-less/

How Does Psoriasis Affect the Hands?

From healthcentral.com

Learn the ways this chronic skin condition can cause rashes and lesions on your skin, plus the best ways to treat it 

Most people think nothing of giving a high-five, but if you have psoriasis on your hands, you likely cringe just thinking about it. This type of contact with another person can be painful and sometimes embarrassing.

“Patches of psoriasis affecting the thick skin of the palms tends to crack, bleed, and cause painful fissures,” says Joel Gelfand, M.D., a professor of dermatology and epidemiology at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

Let’s take a closer look at exactly how your hands can be affected by psoriasis, where on the hands psoriasis generally appears, and what you can do to treat it.

                                                                            Getty Images/Jatuphol Aroonsawasd

Where on the Hand Psoriasis Can Occur

According to the Cleveland Clinic, psoriasis on your hands can target your:

• Fingernails

• Fingers

• Nails

• Palms

• Skin on top of the hand

• Webbing between fingers

• Wrists

Appearance of Hand Psoriasis

Psoriasis can occur from your wrist to your fingernails. Psoriasis on the hands often varies from predominantly pustular lesions to thick hyperkeratotic plaques, according to the journal Dermatologic Therapy. Like elsewhere on the body, psoriasis on the hands can appear as itchy, scaling, and reddened skin plaques.

Psoriasis on the nails can cause multiple irregularities of the nails including pitting, crumbling, thickening, discoloration, white or reddish spots, and separation of the nail from the nail bed. Though sometimes mistaken for nail fungus, nail psoriasis looks a little different.

Lesions and plaques caused by psoriasis can be so disabling that doing anything with your hands during a flare can feel impossible. Plus, it’s awkward to explain to a curious outsider what’s going on with your skin. If you have hand psoriasis (or think you might), here’s what’s going on and how you can keep it from disrupting your life.

                                                                    Psoriasis on hands. Cureus/© 2021, P et al.

Symptoms of Hand Psoriasis

While symptoms can vary from one person to the next, these are some of the tell-tale signs of psoriasis, based on which part of your hand it occurs on.

Palms and Fingers

According to the National Psoriasis Foundation, when you have psoriasis on your palms and fingers you may experience red/discoloured, dry, and thickened skin, as well as deep cracks on the skin. You may also have limited movement with your hands including grip strength or be limited in your ability to shake hands. That’s why when psoriasis strikes the hands, it is known to have an outsize effect.

Nails

According to a study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, the most common features of nail psoriasis is onycholysis (nail plate separating from the nailbed) and nail plate pitting. You may also notice nail discoloration, especially if the nail has lifted from the nailbed. If the psoriasis that is attacking your nails goes untreated, it can result in a loss of the affected nails.

Prevalence of Hand Psoriasis

The prevalence of psoriasis varies around the world with about 3% of the U.S. population living with the condition. Out of those with psoriasis anywhere on their body, about 1 in 5 have psoriasis on the hands (and interestingly, about the same percentage have psoriasis on their feet).

Nail psoriasis is much more common with about half of the people with psoriasis having it on their nails. Across a lifetime, almost everyone (90%) of those with psoriasis will experience nail psoriasis, according to the National Psoriasis Foundation.

Causes of Hand Psoriasis

Psoriasis can show up anywhere on the body. Whether it is on your hands, feet, or scalp, the root cause of psoriasis is an overactive immune system. That overactive immune system may trigger a psoriasis flare due to one of these factors:

• Environment

• Genetics

• Lifestyle (such as smoking)

• Stress

• Skin injury

• Illness such as strep throat

• Cold weather/decreased sunlight

Types of Hand Psoriasis

While colloquially people describe skin plaques and pain in this area as hand psoriasis, technically there are several subtypes of the chronic skin disease, depending specific symptoms and where exactly on your hands it appears. Types of hand psoriasis include:

Palmoplantar Psoriasis

This form of psoriasis appears only on the palms and/or the bottoms of the feet, and accounts for less than 5% of psoriasis cases, according to the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. Palmoplantar psoriasis can be extremely pain, making those high-fives and handshakes really uncomfortable. In some cases, symptoms can seriously disrupt your life. In at least one study, people with palmoplantar psoriasis were significantly more likely to have problems with mobility, self-care, and other everyday activities.

Treatment for palmoplantar psoriasis can be tricky. The condition is likely to lead to secondary fungal infections and people sometimes have allergic reactions to the topical medications they’re using for treatment. Those with palmoplantar psoriasis also tend to be hypersensitive to touch.

“Making matters even more difficult is that palmoplantar psoriasis is often resistant to treatment,” Dr. Gelfand says. “Current treatments, even our newest biologics, often have limited benefit for psoriasis of the palms.”

Dactylitis

Dactylitis is sometimes referred to as “sausage” fingers. Dactylitis is linked to psoriatic arthritis and most frequently appears in those whose psoriasis is advancing into psoriatic arthritis.

Dactylitis often involves painful swelling along your entire finger or toe, not just around one of the joints. It can be one of the first signs of psoriatic arthritis—even if you do not have psoriasis on your hands. Anti-inflammatory drugs, either over-the-counter or prescription, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), may provide some relief. If your fingers start to swell, let your doctor know as soon as possible because early treatment can improve later outcomes.

Enthesitis

Enthesitis typically occurs in people whose psoriasis has evolved into psoriatic arthritis. Enthesitis the swelling of the entheses, or the connective tissue that joins ligaments and tendons to the bones in your hands. Your fingers may feel stiff and painful, but unlike dactylitis, you may not have visible swelling. Your dermatologist may suggest an oral or injectable anti-inflammatory to relieve the ache.

Nail Disease

Psoriasis causes your skin cells to reproduce much more quickly than they should thanks to an overactive immune system. Since your nails are part of the skin, psoriasis can develop under the cuticle and wreak havoc on the growth and health of your nails. As a result, you may see pitting, vertical ridges, discoloration, and separation from the nail bed. Estimates of nail psoriasis range from about 50% to as high as 80% in those with psoriasis.

Treatment of Hand Psoriasis

The treatments used for hand psoriasis are the same used for other forms of plaque psoriasis. There is no single best approach: Which treatment your doctor recommends will depend on a variety of factors such as how severe your psoriasis on your hands is, how long you have had psoriatic disease, and what other treatments you have already tried. Some of the more common treatments include:

Topicals

Topical medications are applied directly to the skin. They come in different forms such as lotions, tars, and bath solutions. There are helpful topical medications available over-the-counter without a doctor’s prescription. Some of the topicals that are now available are natural products made for sensitive skin.

The National Psoriasis Foundation keeps a list of products that are intended to be non-irritating for people with psoriasis. Your doctor may also prescribe a stronger topical to help bring your symptoms under control.

Phototherapy

Phototherapy, or light therapy for psoriasis, involves holding your hands under an ultraviolet light source on a regular basis. Ultraviolet light from the sun or an artificial light has a profound immunosuppressive effect. There are few side effects of phototherapy which is one explanation of why it has been around so long. Your dermatologist will have a medical UV light designed with a wavelength to best treat psoriasis.

Oral Treatments

For more advanced cases of psoriasis, your doctor may prescribe a systemic medication to be taken as a pill. Instead of acting locally on just your hands, some of the newer oral treatments can selectively target molecules inside of your immune cells to help reduce inflammation at the source—think of it as treating your psoriasis more upstream. If you are also living with psoriatic arthritis (PsA), an oral treatment may be prescribed that can treat your psoriasis and PsA simultaneously.

Biologics

Biologics are delivered by injection or infusion and target a specific part of your immune system, depending on which biologic you are prescribed. Studies have indicated that biologics can successfully manage previously difficult to treat psoriasis, such as on the hands and nails, according to the Journal of Clinical Medicine. The cost of biologic treatment can be challenging, even with health insurance. If you are unable to afford the medicine you are prescribed, talk to your doctor. There are a variety of programs designed to help meet the financial needs associated with biologic treatment.

How to Manage Hand Psoriasis

While there’s no cure for psoriasis, there are some things that you can do to ease symptoms that affect your hands.

See Your Dermatologist

Even if you have psoriasis on other parts of your body, you want to make sure that your new hand outbreak is indeed psoriasis and not another condition. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, dry and itchy skin can be caused by a number of conditions, including eczema. It’s not only difficult to tell the difference between the two (especially in kids), but you can have both at the same time. Similarly, if your finger joints are suddenly sore, you will need to rule out overuse, psoriatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, or a virus such as Lyme disease.

Work With an Occupational Therapist

If you are dealing with psoriatic arthritis along with psoriasis, stiffness and swelling can be significant issues and you may benefit from working with an occupational therapist. “Many occupational therapists specialize in hand therapy and provide a variety of treatment options to assist with hand discomfort,” says Aleksandra Radjen, Ph.D., a physical therapist at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. What’s more, they help you improve the use of your hands and maintain the skills you need to live your everyday life.

Stay on Top of Your Overall Treatment Plan

By treating your psoriasis aggressively, you can help lessen its impact on your body overall. So take your meds regularly and on time, keep your body moving, and try to stick to a plant-based diet.

Protect Your Hands

Preventing hand injuries is extra important if you have psoriasis. Wear gloves or other protective gear whenever possible, including when you’re doing everyday chores like washing dishes or weeding the garden. New lesions can develop from a cut, bruise, or burn, a tendency known as the Koebner phenomenon (named after the dermatologist who discovered it, Heinrich Koebner).

Practice Good Nail Care

They need to be protected just as much as your skin: Use tools instead of your fingernails to open packaging; keep them short to prevent ripping; and avoid the harsh chemicals that can be found in some nail polishes and polish removers, which can weaken your nails even further. And don’t forget the moisturizer.

“Moisturize them every day with an emollient cream or ointment,” says Tamy Buckel, M.D., a dermatologist in Chestertown, MD.

Talk to a Mental Health Pro

If you feel self-conscious, embarrassed, or if your hand psoriasis is preventing you from doing the things you enjoy, it may be time to talk to someone about it. A counsellor, therapist, or even a psychodermatologist can be a great addition to your care team.

Never heard of a psychodermatologist? That’s probably because it’s a new subspecialty of dermatology and psychiatry, and it was created because healthcare professionals who recognized that having a skin condition can cause stress and anxiety.

Bottom line? Dealing with daily pain—whether it’s your hands, feet, or anywhere else on your body—is exhausting. If you have hand psoriasis, you do not need to go at this alone. Seek out the advice of dermatologist, who can guide you toward treatments and lifestyle changes to make your world a little easier.

https://www.healthcentral.com/condition/psoriasis/psoriasis-on-hands

Ultraprocessed Foods May Increase Risk of Psoriasis: Study

From aboutlawsuits.com

Soda and frozen pizza are among the foods that may trigger inflammatory responses in the body, potentially causing skin irritation, redness and other chronic symptoms 

Researchers have discovered that consuming ultraprocessed foods, including soda, frozen pizza, packaged meats, candy, ice cream and other common items, may contribute to the development of certain medical conditions, including psoriasis.

Ultraprocessed foods are products extensively altered through additional processing and enriched with additives like dyes, preservatives, emulsifiers and other artificial or refined ingredients that provide little to no nutritional value.

These foods typically contain five or more industrially produced components, such as flavour enhancers, sweeteners or hydrogenated oils, and account for approximately 58% of the average American diet.

In a study published in JAMA Dermatology last month, a team of French researchers indicate that ultraprocessed foods may worsen certain chronic skin conditions, such as psoriasis. These foods have also been previously linked to various serious health issues, including cancer, heart attacks and type 2 diabetes.

The research team, led by Dr. Emilie Sbidian of Hôpital Henri Mondor in Créteil, France, looked at data from 18,528 participants in the NutriNet-Santé cohort study, which is an ongoing study that has been used as the basis for other research into artificial sweeteners and food additive emulsifiers as well.

The cohort data covered a period from November 2021 to June 2022, and indicated that those in the top third of ultraprocessed food consumption were the most likely to suffer from active psoriasis when compared to other study participants. All data was self-reported and adjusted for age, BMI, alcohol intake and other comorbidities.

In addition, those with active psoriasis were more likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease and inflammatory rheumatism than those who had never had psoriasis.

However, the researchers could not prove statistically significant associations between ultraprocessed foods and active psoriasis in cases confirmed by a dermatologist. Those with inactive psoriasis also did not appear to eat more or less ultraprocessed foods than those who had never had psoriasis.

As a result, the researchers pointed out that more research into the findings is needed, as the study could have been limited by the use of self-reporting.

Ultraprocessed Foods and Other Health Conditions

Psoriasis is not the only adverse health condition that ultraprocessed foods have been linked to in recent years. Research published in February showed a link between certain cancers and some emulsifiers found in ultraprocessed foods.

Another study published that same month showed a link between ultraprocessed foods and potentially fatal heart problems, including heart attacks and heart failure.

A recent study published in March by a team of international researchers highlights a strong link between consuming ultraprocessed foods and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, along with other long-term side effects like sleep disturbances, breathing issues and depression.

Type 2 diabetes, the most common form of diabetes, was once referred to as adult-onset diabetes and is closely associated with obesity. However, new research continues to suggest that the link between type 2 diabetes and obesity could also be related to diets high in ultraprocessed foods.

https://www.aboutlawsuits.com/ultraprocessed-food-increase-risk-psoriasis/

Can Vitamin D Help With Psoriatic Arthritis? Here’s What Experts Say

From healthcentral.com

Research has found people with psoriatic arthritis tend to be low in this essential vitamin—but the jury is out on whether a supplement can help 

Psoriatic arthritis, an autoimmune disease fuelled by out-of-control inflammation, can cause symptoms like joint pain, fatigue, and swelling from head to toe, so it's no surprise that people might be looking for ways to get relief. And one option that has gotten some attention is vitamin D, which some consider to be one of the best supplements for psoriatic arthritis.

But in reality, the relationship between psoriatic arthritis and vitamin D is—as with a lot of supplements—a tricky one to figure out, since the science behind it is still unclear. What might be driving the correlation? Vitamin D is one of the most promising vitamins for psoriasis (a related but still separate condition that appears on the skin), so there’s reason to be optimistic. So, do psoriatic arthritis supplements like vitamin D merit a spot in your medicine cabinet? Here’s what the experts say.

The Relationship Between Vitamin D and Psoriatic Arthritis

The connection between vitamin D and psoriatic arthritis is more complicated than it seems. Vitamin D, for reference, benefits your body on several fronts. “It’s important for bone health and has roles in the immune system and in maintaining skin health,” says S. Louis Bridges, Jr., M.D., a rheumatologist and physician-in-chief and chair of the Department of Medicine at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City.

Research has found that vitamin D deficiency was especially common among people with PsA—and that the lower their vitamin D levels were, the more disease activity, indicated by a higher DAPSA (Disease Activity in Psoriatic Arthritis) score, they experienced. DAPSA is a measurement of PsA severity that takes into account the joints affected, pain levels, and levels of C-reactive protein, which is an inflammation marker.

But it’s unclear whether low vitamin D levels are the cause or the result of inflammation, according to Dr. Bridges. “When there is inflammation, serum levels of vitamin D decrease,” says Dr. Bridges. “Low levels of vitamin D are associated with a variety of inflammatory states.” In other words, it’s like which came first—low vitamin D, which contributes to the uptick in inflammation and DAPSA, or the inflammation, which stifles the levels of vitamin D? It’s hard to say.

Should You Take Vitamin D to Treat Your Psoriatic Arthritis?

Taking vitamin D could be helpful if you have psoriasis alongside your PsA. “Oral vitamin D supplementation may have some benefits in psoriasis,” says Dr. Bridges, though he notes that most research focuses on the efficacy of topical creams applied to plaques (versus oral supplements). “They work by slowing down the rapid skin cell turnover associated with psoriasis and have immunomodulatory effects.”

As for psoriatic arthritis, vitamin D may help ease symptoms—in theory. But “there are no studies that definitively show this, and much more work is needed,” says Dr. Bridges. “We also need studies to understand the role of vitamin D in the development and treatment of PsA, and the differences in vitamin D metabolism between patients with PsA compared to psoriasis without arthritis.”

What Are the Best Sources of Vitamin D?

Sunlight is the primary source of vitamin D. “Vitamin D is made or synthesized in the skin from its precursor, a type of cholesterol,” says Shailendra Singh, M.D., a rheumatologist at White County Medical Center in Searcy, AK. “When you're exposed to the sunlight, that vitamin D precursor is formed in the skin—and once that is formed, that is converted into its active form in the liver and the kidneys.” But if you don’t spend a lot of time outside, then sunlight alone might not be enough to make the amount of vitamin D you need.

If that’s the case, you’ll need to get it from your diet—and, ideally, you should be eating your vitamin D rather than taking it through a supplement, according to Dr. Singh. “There are several foods which are enriched in vitamin D,” he says. “Most of the milk available in the market is enriched with vitamin D, as are yogurt and cheese.” You can also find vitamin D in fatty fish and fish liver oil.

How Much Vitamin D You Need With Psoriatic Arthritis

Besides infants, most people need 15 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin D a day, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). (A cup of milk has 2.9 mcg, while three ounces of salmon and trout each have over 14 mcg.) Even if you have psoriatic arthritis, that’s all our experts recommended. “I do not recommend routine vitamin D supplementation to treat psoriatic arthritis,” says Dr. Bridges.

The Risks of Too Much Vitamin D

Because it can increase calcium absorption, taking too much vitamin D can lead to hypercalcemia—literally, excessive calcium—which in turn leads to nausea, vomiting, and kidney stones. And while too much vitamin D alone can lead to kidney failure, it's extremely rare, according to the NIH. Really, it only tends to become a problem if you’re taking a lot of different vitamins, according to Dr. Singh. “Overdosing on vitamin D is very, very difficult,” he says.

And, even when you take it in an over-the-counter supplement, “that vitamin D needs to be activated inside the kidneys and in the liver to become active vitamin D—and our body will only produce as much active vitamin D as it needs,” he says. The rest gets excreted out.

Talk With Your Doctor

If you’re curious about supplementing with vitamin D, talk to your doctor—but manage your expectations accordingly. If your doctor checks your vitamin D levels and they’re low, they might recommend a supplement, says Dr. Singh. And if they’re normal, then supplementing with vitamin D won’t add any extra benefit for your psoriatic arthritis. And remember, it’s not a cure-all, and should at most be part of an overarching treatment plan overseen by your doctor.

https://www.healthcentral.com/condition/psoriatic-arthritis/psoriatic-arthritis-and-vitamin-d?ap=nl2060&rhid=&mui=&lid=141093361&mkt_tok=NTQxLUdLWi0yNDMAAAGXkwNJEnyL6YwHmpvNB74HHPsyDvM_xlma7E_Bn75iAqZM6e2s2RYYCEUlIHNa0pBBP_wpGoUdkH1J_mv3DeM8onqJZKMkfxYl8NqeDcy6wfy9l_Y