Lupus (Systemic lupus erythematosus or SLE in medical parlance) is an autoimmune disease that principally afflicts women of childbearing age. The exact etiology or cause is unknown, but most experts consider genetic predisposition and certain environmental influences as triggers. Whatever the exact cause, people with SLE create antibodies to various proteins in their own bodies, as well to the DNA in their cell nuclei. These antibodies bring about widespread damage and are believed to underlie most of SLE’s symptoms.

SLE’s initial or early stage symptoms include fatigue, weight loss, fever, lack of pep, loss of appetite, muscle pain, joint pain, and a butterfly like facial rash; it’s later or more advanced stage symptoms include seizures, cognitive impairment, anemia, and inflammation of the heart, blood vessels, eyes, and GI tract.

The standard medical approach to SLE involves use of various anti-inflammatory drugs. The anti-inflammatory selected in mild cases is typically a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAIDs). In severe SLE, most doctors prescribe steroid (corticosteroid) anti-inflammatory drugs such as prednisone. Unfortunately, while the steroid drugs confer relief and other benefits, the side effects can be quite serious in and of themselves. One of these is bone loss, which a natural for of vitamin K2 appears to both prevent and reverse (SeeHealth Benefits of Vitamin K2 Book and BONEGENESIS)  

Some physicians utilize cytotoxic drugs such as cyclophosphamide, but these have some fairly profound side effects as well.

The OTC steroid hormone dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) has garnered a modicum of scientific evidence indicating that it may be beneficial in managing lupus, but only if utilized as part of a comprehensive, physician-sanctioned treatment program or regimen.

In the human body, DHEA is used as raw material for synthesizing testosterone and estrogen. Supplemental DHEA has been tried on a wide range of medical conditions, including osteoporosis, but it is felt that its greatest promise lies in ameliorating SLE.

In one twelve month, double-blind placebo-controlled involving 381 women with mild or moderate lupus, DHEA (200 mg daily) was tested against a placebo. When the test ended and the number-crunching was done, it was found that those women who had received DHEA had a reduction in many key SLE symptoms as compared to those who had taken the placebo.

The findings of the study cited above were underscored in another double-blind, placebo-controlled study, this one involving 120 women SLE sufferers. Those who wound up taking DHEA (200 mg daily) experienced a significant decrease in SLE symptoms as well as a reduced the frequency of disease flare-ups compared to those who were given a placebo. 

In 2007 a comprehensive major review of all the published studies on DHEA and SLE was carried out and published. This study found that the use of DHEA had a good likelihood of improving the short-term quality of life of SLE sufferers, but that probably does little to alter the disease on a long-term basis. 

Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFA) such as omega-3 rich fish oil and Flaxseed oil look promising with respect to helping SLE patients better manage their condition. In the human body, dietary fats are used to generate two groups of inflammatory compounds called prostaglandins and leukotrienes. Saturated fats help promote creation of pro-inflammatory substances, while PUFAs are used to generate anti-inflammatory substances.

Fish oil has been shown to ameliorate the fatigue that is very characteristic of SLE. The fish oil components EPA and DHA have even demonstrated some promise in terms of inducing prolonged remission of lupus. In addition, the omega- 3 fatty acids in both fish and linseed oils (respectively) been shown to decrease debility and death in lab animals with lupus

Interestingly, fish oil decreases proinflammatory tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha), which is quite high in lupus patients, especially in those sensitive to sunlight, but also boosted transforming growth factor beta (TGFbeta), an anti-inflammatory cytokine. Researchers have also demonstrated that fish oil and diet restriction can extend the life span of SLE patients by suppressing the inflammatory arms of the immune system called Th-1 and Th-2. There is even some tantalizing research that suggests fish oil and diet restriction combined with antioxidants such as vitamin E might modulate anti-DNA antibodies.

The regulation of inflammatory cytokines is obviously of great importance when it comes to managing SLE. There are a few herbs and herbal blends that appear to reduce proinflammatory compounds and immune cell activity. Pine bark extract (as Pycnogenol®) is one. HEARTROL is another.

Other treatments sometimes recommended for SLE include vitamin B-3, vitamin B-12, and food allergen identification and avoidance (See also information on the paleodiet in Health Benefits of Vitamin K2 Book andGuide to Living Longer and Healthier. However, there is no hard scientific evidence yet that these work for SLE. Readers interested in a premium time-release B-multiple should check out NUTRACENE

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