Just Ask Terry

Terry is happy to provide his opinion on diet and nutrition, supplements and lifestyle choices. This information is for educational purposes only. It is not meant to replace the advice of your physician and is not to be considered medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Should you have any concerns please contact your physician directly.

Q. “What are the best herbs and supplements to fight an autoimmune disease like vitiligo or lupus? As you know, in vitiligo, the body attacks its own melanocytes. Michael Jackson had it. Thank you.” Ariana, Boston, MA. A. Dear Ariana, Autoimmune diseases can be quite tricky to manage, so first and foremost, I encourage you to work with your health care practitioner to decide which supplements are best in your unique situation. I can make some recommendations, but that never replaces your doctor’s care and oversight. While I have never found a natural “cure” for vitiligo or lupus, there are definitely nutritional factors I would suggest to improve health and balance the immune system function. There are clinical studies on DL-phenylalanine (DLPA), combined with UVA (a type of ultraviolet light) that can trigger the melanin producing cells to increase production. Some studies have found that this combination can improve pigmentation in as much as 70% of vitiligo spots. [Siddiqui AH, Stolk LM, Bhaggoe R, et al. L-phenylalanine and UVA irradiation in the treatment of vitiligo. Dermatology. 1994;188(3):215-8.] A good dose is 50 to 100 mg per day orally, and if you combine that with a topical cream or gel containing 10% DLPA, you may get even better results. As for Lupus, one supplement that has a great deal of study showing disease impact is DHEA. However, the dosage levels used are very high, and I would suggest you work with your healthcare practitioner to determine the dose that is right for you. Lastly, for any type of autoimmune disease, I like a blend of Immunogens from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, with usually 500 mg of this yeast extract used once daily. I would look for a highly standardized and good quality cat’s claw. Cat’s claw (Uncaria tomentosa) is very powerful for autoimmune disorders because it does not stimulate the immune system, nor does it suppress it. Instead, it modulates the immune system and reduces the release of immature immune cells that can cause so much damage in these kinds of diseases. There are some excellent published studies on cat’s claw use in rheumatoid arthritis (a very common autoimmune disease) and clinical reports for use in lupus. There is nothing I like better than cat’s claw for strengthening, balancing and rebuilding the immune system. I would also add 20 mg of zinc twice daily.