Research Log #4

Date: October 14, 2017

Name: Aspen-Marie Tong
EQ: How does Lupus affect a person, and how can it be treated?

Three Points to Prove: #1: Lupus causes inflammation complications throughout the body.
#2: Lupus can be treated through prescription drugs and conventional medicine.
#3: Lupus can be treated naturally through alternative medicine and lifestyle
changes.
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Point that this Source/Information Proves: #3: Lupus can be treated naturally through lifestyle changes.

Excerpts:
“The recent trials of CAM treatments for SLE (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus) indicate that supplements
such as vitamin D, omega 3 fatty acids, N-acetyl cysteine and turmeric show some promise for reducing SLE
disease activity.”

“Although low vitamin D may be influenced by sun avoidance or medications in SLE patients, it is evident
that vitamin D may play a role in perpetuating the manifestations of SLE. Therefore, supplementing with
vitamin D may have a positive effect on SLE symptoms, cardiovascular or bone comorbidity, or disease
activity.”

“DHEA is an adrenal steroid hormone that tends to be reduced in SLE. There has been longstanding interest
in dehyroepiandrosterone (DHEA) supplementation for improving SLE disease activity and protecting
against the negative effects of steroids.”

“Generally, acupuncture and minimal needling performed better than usual care alone, with effect size
differences compared to usual care in the small to moderate range.”

Analysis:
SLE, or Systematic Lupus Erythematous, is the most common form of Lupus. The most frequent
symptoms of SLE are fatigue, joint, pain and a butterfly shaped rash across the face. Although new
prescription medications are being approved by the FDA, alternative medicines can have a positive effect on
patients. In this article, the authors discuss CAM supplements that Lupus patients have been testing. CAM is
complementary and alternative medicines, which have been proving to help ease the pain of Lupus
symptoms.
Popular CAM supplements include vitamin D and DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone) supplements.
Vitamin D supplements are important for lupus patients due to their sensitivity to sunlight. Lupus patients
are at a higher risk of getting osteoporosis, therefore vitamin D intake is very important to strengthen
patient’s bones. Another important supplement is DHEA, an endogenous steroid hormone. DHEA
supplements help regulate DHEA production in the body, but are not totally effective if used by itself.
DHEA has proven to work best when added to regular treatment, as it boosts the immune function. Other
than supplements, acupuncture has been proven to be an effective alternative to traditional Lupus treatment.
Acupuncture provides relief from musculoskeletal pain that comes from SLE. Although acupuncture is safe
for Lupus Patients, studies are still in effect to test the efficiency and benefits that come with it.

Work Cited (correct MLA format):

Greco, Carol, Claire Nakajima, and Susann Manzi. “Updated Review of Complementary and Alternative
Medicine Treatments for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.” PubMed Central. National Center for
Biomedical Information, 1 Nov. 2014. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3898893/.
Accessed. 14 Oct. 2017.