Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. Researchers recently found that 4000 IU of vitamin D per day was associated with improvements in respiratory health in patients who lacked two immune system proteins called IgG and IgA and/or had an increased susceptibility to respiratory tract infections.
Respiratory tract diseases affect the air passages and range from acute infections such as pneumonia and bronchitis to chronic conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (1). While asthma is the most common respiratory disease in children (235 million children worldwide) (2), Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) affects more than 64 million people worldwide and caused 5% of all global deaths in 2005 (3 million people) (3).
Now a new study (4) suggests that vitamin D may benefit lung health. The study included 140 patients aged 18 to 75 who lacked two immune system proteins called IgG and IgA and/or had an increased susceptibility to respiratory tract infections (more than 42 days of symptoms per year). They were given either 4,000 IU of vitamin D per day or placebo for 12 months and reported their symptoms in a diary every month. The researchers scored the symptoms in five parts: symptoms from the respiratory tract, ears and sinuses, feelings of malaise and use of antibiotics, giving each parameter 1 point per day.
Over the course of the year, those in the vitamin D group had a 19% lower overall score compared to the placebo group (202 versus 249 points, p = 0.023). Perhaps just as important, however, was that those in the vitamin D group were 63.5% less likely to use antibiotics for their infections and spent 52% less time taking them compared to the placebo group (16 days on antibiotics versus 33 days in the placebo group). Antibiotic resistance is regarded as “one of the world’s most pressing health problems” (5) so this highlights a possibly very important health benefit of vitamin D supplementation. Finally, those in the vitamin D group reported 38 adverse events over the year (digestive problems, urinary tract infections, etc) compared to 56 adverse events in the placebo group.
Citing research showing vitamin D to affect the immune system “on many levels” and also possess anti-inflammatory properties (6), the researchers concluded that “supplementation with vitamin D may reduce disease burden in patients with frequent respiratory tract infections” and “could provide a novel strategy to reduce antibiotic use and indirectly prevent the emerging epidemic of bacterial resistance.”
Source: Bergman P, Norlin A-C, Hansen S, et al. Vitamin D3 supplementation in patients with frequentrespiratory tract infections:
a randomised and double-blind intervention study. BMJ Open 2012;2: e001663. doi:10.1136/ bmjopen-2012-001663
© Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial 2.0 Licence;
Posted January 9, 2013.
Greg Arnold is a Chiropractic Physician practicing in Hauppauge, NY. You can contact Dr. Arnold directly by emailing him at PitchingDoc@msn.com or visiting his web site at www.PitchingDoc.com
References:
- “Respiratory tract diseases” posted on the World Health Organization website.
- “Asthma” from the World Health Organization website.
- “Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease” from the World Health Organization website.
- Vitamin D3 supplementation in patients with frequent respiratory tract infections: a randomized and double-blind intervention study. BMJ Open 2012 Dec 13;2(6). pii: e001663. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2012-001663.
- “Antibiotic Resistance Questions and Answers: Why Should I Be Worried About Antibiotic Resistance?” posted on the Centers for Disease Control website.
- Hewison M. Vitamin D and immune function: an overview. Proc Nutr Soc 2012;71:50–61.
