Winter Eczema Relief: Soothe Your Skin and Strengthen Immunity with this Essential Vitamin

By Diane Angela Fong, ND

Winter can be a tough season for those with eczema. Dry air, indoor heating, and reduced sunlight often lead to flare-ups, leaving skin dry, irritated, and inflamed. But what if one essential vitamin could help soothe your skin and strengthen your immune system?

Enter vitamin D—a powerhouse nutrient that not only supports immune health but also plays a vital role in calming eczema symptoms. With the right approach to boosting vitamin D levels, you can give your skin and immune system the support they need to thrive through winter. Read on to discover how this “sunshine vitamin” can be a game-changer for eczema relief and overall wellness.

Why Vitamin D Matters for Eczema

Vitamin D is essential for skin health and immune function, two factors closely related to eczema. Recent research highlights that vitamin D deficiency can contribute to immune dysregulation, potentially leading to or worsening inflammatory skin conditions like eczema. A study published in Science Advances found that vitamin D deficiency can trigger immune pathways associated with inflammation and autoimmune disease, underscoring vitamin D’s role in managing eczema and immune responses.

Eczema is often marked by an overactive immune response, which can be triggered by environmental and lifestyle factors. Vitamin D helps regulate immune function, potentially reducing the frequency and severity of eczema flares. Studies indicate that low vitamin D levels are associated with increased eczema prevalence and severity, making it a valuable nutrient for those affected by this condition.

How We Get Vitamin D: Sunlight, Food, and Supplements

The primary source of vitamin D for most people is sunlight exposure, specifically UVB rays. When UVB rays hit the skin, they stimulate the production of vitamin D, which then circulates through the body to support various functions, including immune regulation. This process can also be triggered with controlled UVB therapy, which is sometimes used in managing eczema, though it’s usually reserved for more severe cases.

In addition to sunlight, you can get vitamin D from certain foods. Here are some dietary and lifestyle tips to help increase vitamin D levels naturally:

Incorporate Vitamin D-Rich Foods:

Fatty Fish: Salmon, mackerel, sardines, and tuna are excellent natural sources of vitamin D.
Egg Yolks: Including whole eggs in your diet provides some vitamin D, though in smaller amounts.
Fortified Foods: Many dairy products, plant-based milk alternatives, and cereals are fortified with vitamin D. Check the labels to ensure you’re getting a boost.
Mushrooms: Some mushrooms, like maitake and shiitake, produce vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. Look for mushrooms labeled as “vitamin D enriched” for an extra source.

Maximize Safe Sun Exposure:

Aim for 15-30 minutes of direct sunlight on uncovered skin, ideally between 10 AM and 3 PM when UVB rays are strongest. Larger areas of skin (arms, legs) can produce more vitamin D than smaller areas (hands, face).
Limit sunscreen during brief exposure, as it blocks UVB rays. However, if you’ll be in the sun longer, apply sunscreen after a short period to prevent skin damage.
Fair-skinned individuals typically need less sun exposure to produce adequate vitamin D, while those with darker skin may require longer exposure due to increased melanin, which reduces vitamin D synthesis.

Consider Seasonal Adjustments:

In the winter or for those living in northern latitudes, sunlight exposure may not be sufficient for vitamin D production. During these times, increasing vitamin D-rich foods or using supplements may be necessary to maintain adequate levels.

Testing for Vitamin D Levels: Conventional vs. Optimal Ranges for Eczema

Testing your vitamin D levels can help determine if you’re deficient and how much supplementation you need.

Conventional Range: The standard recommended range is 30-100 ng/mL, but the lower end of this range may not be sufficient for people with eczema who may need higher levels for optimal immune regulation and skin health.
Functional/Optimal Range: At Cleanbody, we often recommend at least 45-65 ng/mL or even closer to 50-80 ng/mL for people with eczema. Higher levels in this range may better support immune balance and reduce eczema flares.

Testing lets you adjust your levels seasonally with guidance from a healthcare provider.

How to Supplement with Vitamin D (D3/K2)

When supplementing, vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) is recommended over D2 due to better absorption and utilization by the body. Pairing vitamin D3 with vitamin K2 is also beneficial, as K2 helps direct calcium to bones rather than soft tissues, enhancing bone health and reducing risks of calcium buildup in arteries.

For this reason, we recommend D-Fender, a high-quality D3/K2 supplement designed to maximize benefits for immune and skin health.

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Suggested Dosage:

Consult a healthcare provider to determine the right dosage based on individual factors.
Typical dosages range from 1,000-5,000 IU daily, though higher doses may be required for those with significant deficiencies. Our team can help you get your vitamin D levels checked and provide personalized dosage recommendations.

Why Some People Experience Symptoms from Taking Vitamin D

Some people experience symptoms like nausea, stomach discomfort, or headaches when taking vitamin D. Here’s why this can happen and ways to prevent it:

Starting with Too High a Dose: High initial doses can overwhelm the system.
- Solution: Start with a lower dose (400-800 IU) and gradually increase.
Magnesium Deficiency: Vitamin D requires magnesium for activation. Without enough magnesium, symptoms like muscle cramps and headaches can occur.
- Solution: Add a magnesium supplement, or eat magnesium-rich foods like leafy greens, nuts, and seeds.
Vitamin K2 Imbalance: Without K2, vitamin D can misdirect calcium to soft tissues instead of bones, causing side effects.
- Solution: Take a D3/K2 supplement, like D-Fender, for balanced calcium distribution.
Digestive Sensitivity: Vitamin D supplements can sometimes cause nausea or stomach issues.
- Solution: Take vitamin D with a meal containing healthy fats for better absorption.

Why Vitamin D is Especially Important For Eczema Sufferers in Winter

During winter, reduced sunlight exposure can lead to drops in vitamin D levels, potentially triggering immune system imbalances and worsening eczema symptoms. Winter is also a time when eczema-prone skin is more susceptible to dryness and irritation due to cold air and indoor heating. Ensuring adequate vitamin D levels through supplementation or dietary intake during winter may help reduce flare-ups and support overall immune health.

Additionally, Vitamin D’s immune-supportive effects are particularly valuable in winter, when respiratory infections like flu and COVID-19 are more common. Studies show that maintaining adequate vitamin D levels can help protect against respiratory infections, as vitamin D plays a role in immune response modulation.

A 2017 meta-analysis published in BMJ found that people with low vitamin D levels were more likely to experience respiratory infections, while supplementation was associated with a reduced risk of infections, especially in those with deficiencies (Martineau et al., 2017). Another study published in 2020 suggested that vitamin D may help modulate the immune response to COVID-19, reducing the severity of symptoms in some cases (Grant et al., 2020).

This immune protection highlights the importance of maintaining optimal vitamin D levels through winter—not only for eczema relief but also to support overall immune health.

Working With Us To Optimize Your Vitamin D Levels

For those with eczema, maintaining optimal vitamin D levels can be a key part of managing symptoms and reducing flare-ups. With ample research supporting its benefits, vitamin D supplementation—alongside a healthy diet and lifestyle—offers a promising natural approach to eczema relief. If you’re considering vitamin D supplementation, we recommend D-Fender, our D3/K2 supplement, to maximize benefits safely and effectively. Additionally, our team can assist with vitamin D testing to help determine the appropriate dosage for your needs. Reach out to us to learn more about this personalized approach to improving skin and immune health.

If you have a child with eczema or are an adult who has dealt with eczema since childhood, our team can help you evaluate whether any of these root causes are at the core of your eczema. Start your journey to clear, healthy skin with our Free Resources:

FREE Live Eczema Relief Workshop – Learn strategies to manage eczema naturally
FREE Eczema Root Cause Assessment – Discover possible root causes unique to you
FREE Eczema Relief Guide– Get essential tips for immediate relief

Want a more personalized approach? Book a one-on-one consultation with me at 30% off using code BLOG30 for a tailored evaluation and guidance specific to your needs.

GOT QUESTIONS?

Dr. Fong is going live to discuss this topic on her weekly Live with the Eczema Doc on Wednesday, November 13, at 12:30 PM PST! Watch the live or check out the replay here:

References:

Patricio Artusa et al. ,Skewed epithelial cell differentiation and premature aging of the thymus in the absence of vitamin D signaling.Sci. Adv.10,eadm9582(2024).DOI:10.1126/sciadv.adm9582
Kim G, Bae JH. Vitamin D and atopic dermatitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrition. 2016 Sep;32(9):913-20. doi: 10.1016/j.nut.2016.01.023. Epub 2016 Feb 18. PMID: 27061361.
Hattangdi-Haridas SR, Lanham-New SA, Wong WHS, Ho MHK, Darling AL. Vitamin D Deficiency and Effects of Vitamin D Supplementation on Disease Severity in Patients with Atopic Dermatitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis in Adults and Children. Nutrients. 2019 Aug 9;11(8):1854. doi: 10.3390/nu11081854. PMID: 31405041; PMCID: PMC6722944.
Martineau AR, Jolliffe DA, Hooper RL, Greenberg L, Aloia JF, Bergman P, Dubnov-Raz G, Esposito S, Ganmaa D, Ginde AA, Goodall EC, Grant CC, Griffiths CJ, Janssens W, Laaksi I, Manaseki-Holland S, Mauger D, Murdoch DR, Neale R, Rees JR, Simpson S Jr, Stelmach I, Kumar GT, Urashima M, Camargo CA Jr. Vitamin D supplementation to prevent acute respiratory tract infections: systematic review and meta-analysis of individual participant data. BMJ. 2017 Feb 15;356:i6583. doi: 10.1136/bmj.i6583. PMID: 28202713; PMCID: PMC5310969.
Grant WB, Lahore H, McDonnell SL, Baggerly CA, French CB, Aliano JL, Bhattoa HP. Evidence that Vitamin D Supplementation Could Reduce Risk of Influenza and COVID-19 Infections and Deaths. Nutrients. 2020 Apr 2;12(4):988. doi: 10.3390/nu12040988. PMID: 32252338; PMCID: PMC7231123.

About the Author:

Dr. Diane Angela Fong, ND, is a naturopathic doctor specializing in eczema and chronic inflammatory conditions. She is the CEO and founder of Cleanbody, a wellness company dedicated to treating and preventing chronic diseases. Dr. Fong developed the Cleanbody Method, a transformative three-step process: Evaluate (uncovering the root causes of chronic disease through lab testing and comprehensive assessments), Optimize (strengthening health foundations by addressing nutrition, lifestyle, and toxic exposures), and Support (restoring optimal organ function through targeted healing protocols). Driven by a mission to educate and empower individuals with eczema and other chronic inflammatory diseases, Dr. Fong provides comprehensive support to help patients achieve lasting relief and better health. Learn more at www.cleanbody.health.

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