As summer is in full swing, one of the most common questions we hear from patients is: “Should I use sunscreen if I’m worried about my vitamin D levels?” The short answer is yes and this blog explains why you can protect your skin and maintain healthy vitamin D at the same time.
Why doesn’t inflammation just switch off?
Inflammation is often misunderstood and believed to be something to suppress or fight with pain relievers. However, the surprising truth is that inflammation is needed and initially isn’t actually the problem; it’s what happens after inflammation that really matters.
Inflammation is your body’s superhero response
When you get a splinter, catch a virus, or twist an ankle, your immune system rushes in to help. Blood flow increases, white blood cells arrive to clean things up, and you get the classic signs of heat, redness, swelling, pain, and reduced movement. This is known as acute inflammation, which happens fast and is necessary because it is the way that your body should respond to fixing the problem.
Afterward, your body has to actively switch inflammation off, too
After an inflammatory response, your body needs to actively resolve it, which involves clearing away debris, repairing tissue, and restoring balance. If this process of “switching off” doesn’t work properly, inflammation can quietly continue in the background. Over time, this low-grade, ongoing inflammation is linked to fatigue, pain, and chronic illness.
Harvard Medical School’s Professor Charles Serhan explains that it is uncontrolled, ongoing inflammation that makes us unwell.
What controls the off switch?
Scientists have discovered special molecules called specialised pro-resolving mediators (SPMs). SPMs work to clear debris, calm things down and rebuild. Using an analogy, think of them less like firefighters putting out flames, and more like a cleanup and construction crew that arrives once the fire’s out.
SPMs are not involved in suppressing inflammation. Instead, they actively help your body finish the job properly, reduce pain, and help everything get back to normal.
Where do SPMs come from?
Your body naturally makes SPMs from omega-3 fatty acids. These are the same “good fats” found in oily fish and fish oil supplements (EPA and DHA). However, several everyday factors can reduce your body’s ability to produce enough SPMs. These negative factors include:
- low omega-3 intake
- a sedentary lifestyle
- excess weight
- ageing
- chronic illness
The good news is that you can do things to help
To support your immune system:
- Eat more oily fish, or take a high-quality omega-3 supplement (rich in EPA and DHA).
- Consider supplements specifically enriched with SPM precursors, which are the building blocks your body converts into these resolution molecules
- Support an active lifestyle, as this also plays a role in healthy inflammation resolution
The key to feeling well is making sure your body can properly resolve inflammation once the initial response is underway. To return to the analogy, once the firefighters have done their job, the cleanup and construction crew must get on with clearing the debris and rebuilding instead of letting it smoulder in the background. Supporting that process with the right nutrition is one of the simplest, most powerful things you can do for your long-term health.
Want to know more?
Want to know more about how we assess and support healthy inflammation resolution? Book an appointment with the team at Breakspear Medical.
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