Vitamin D Replacement Can Help Winter-Related Atopic Dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis (AD) frequently flares during the winter. This may be in part due to decreased humidity and skin dryness, but some evidence points to a role for low vitamin D levels. In a study in northern Mongolia, 107 children (mean age, 9 years) with a history of AD that worsens in the winter were randomized to oral cholecalciferol (one drop of 1000 IU daily) or placebo for 1 month during the winter. Vitamin D levels were not checked, but in other studies of Mongolian children, 98% had vitamin D levels less than 20 ng/mL during the winter.

At 1 month, the treatment group had significantly greater improvement in AD scores than the placebo group (29% vs. 16%).