Inflammation is one of the body’s basic defense systems.
When you are injured or infected, the immune system sends cells and chemical signals to the affected area to fight germs, remove damaged tissue and begin the healing process.
This short-term response is usually helpful. The problem begins when inflammation continues for months or years, even when there is no immediate injury or infection that needs to be fought.
Long-lasting, or chronic, inflammation can slowly damage healthy cells and tissues. Scientists have linked it with many health problems, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and some cancers, although inflammation is only one part of these complex diseases.
Nutrition can influence how the immune system works, and several vitamins are involved in controlling inflammation. Getting enough of these nutrients helps the body maintain normal immune function, but vitamins should not be viewed as a cure for inflammatory diseases.
Vitamin D has received particular attention from researchers. The body can make vitamin D when skin is exposed to sunlight, and smaller amounts also come from foods such as oily fish, egg yolks and fortified products.
Vitamin D helps control the activity of immune cells and the chemical signals they produce. Research discussed in Nature Reviews Immunology has described important links between vitamin D and immune regulation, while low vitamin D levels are often seen alongside conditions involving inflammation.
However, finding low vitamin D in people with inflammatory disease does not necessarily prove that taking extra vitamin D will prevent or cure the condition. Supplement benefits can depend on a person’s existing vitamin D level, health and other factors.
Vitamin C also supports the body’s defenses. It is found in many fruits and vegetables, including oranges, berries, capsicum, kiwifruit and broccoli, and it acts as an antioxidant that helps protect cells from damage.
Antioxidants help control unstable molecules produced during normal metabolism and during inflammation. Research published in Nutrients has examined whether vitamin C supplementation can influence inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein, or CRP, which doctors sometimes measure as a sign of inflammation in the body.
Vitamin E is another antioxidant nutrient. Nuts, seeds, vegetable oils and some green vegetables provide vitamin E, which helps protect the fatty parts of cells from damage caused by unstable molecules.
Studies published in journals including the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition have explored connections between vitamin E and inflammatory markers. The evidence suggests vitamin E has a role in normal immune function, although taking high-dose supplements is not automatically beneficial and can carry risks.
Several B vitamins may also be connected with inflammation, particularly vitamins B6, B9 and B12. These nutrients help the body process homocysteine, an amino acid that can build up in the blood when certain vitamins are lacking.
High homocysteine levels have been associated with cardiovascular disease and other health problems. Research reported in Current Medicinal Chemistry has examined how B vitamins can lower homocysteine, although lowering this blood marker does not necessarily mean that supplements will prevent heart attacks or other diseases.
For most people, the safest way to obtain these vitamins is through a varied diet. Vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, fish, eggs and other nutrient-rich foods provide vitamins together with fiber, minerals and many other useful compounds.
Supplements can be valuable when a person has a diagnosed deficiency or cannot obtain enough of a nutrient from food. But more is not always better, because large doses of some vitamins can cause side effects or interact with medicines.
Overall, vitamins are part of the body’s complex system for controlling immune activity and inflammation. Maintaining adequate vitamin levels through a balanced diet can support good health, while anyone considering high-dose supplements for chronic inflammation should first discuss the decision with a doctor or other qualified health professional.
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