A new study in International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases suggests that vitamin D supplementation may help patients with rheumatoid arthritis.   The study led by J. Chen from The First Afflicted Hospital of Xiamen University in Xiamen, China and colleagues shows that vitamin D deficiency was associated with high disease activities and low bone mineral density in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.  The researchers conducted the study to examine the association between serum vitamin D (25-hydroxyvitamin D) and the risk of rheumatoid arthritis.  Osteoporosis and osteopenia are more often found in rheumatoid arthritis patients than the age- and gender-matched healthy controls and low serum 25OHD levels are linked to low bone mineral density and high disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis patients. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that there is a link between vitamin D and rheumatoid arthritis.  The study validated the assumption.  Vitamin D deficiency is known to have an unfavorable impact on bone health. The current study revealed that vitamin d deficiency can also worsen the condition of rheumatoid arthritis in addition to its impact on bone mineral density or risk of osteoporosis and osteopenia.  Vitamin D supplements are readily available over the Internet.  (David Liu)