Is it possible that vitamin D supplementation could reduce children’s risk of coming down with Influenza A by 58%, and\u00a0of having an asthma attack by 83%?<\/p>\n
Amazing as these\u00a0claims might seem, this is what was reported in the March 2010 issue of the\u00a0American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.<\/p>\n
The students in this study – which was performed in Japan – ranged in age from 6-15 years of age, and they were given Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) at a daily dose of 1200 IU (International Units).<\/p>\n
Although these improvements were observed for Influenza A and asthma attacks, there didn’t seem to be any effect on the occurence of Influenza B.<\/p>\n
I first ran across this study in a article published in Reuters that was titled ‘Vitamin D helps fend off flu, asthma attacks: study’.<\/p>\n
You can see a copy of it at this web address – http:\/\/www.reuters.com\/article\/idUSTRE62I3MK20100319<\/span><\/a>\u00a0, and you can find a copy of the article they’re referencing at this web address – http:\/\/www.ajcn.org\/content\/91\/5\/1255.abstract?sid=39de4a22-ae42-40ad-82b8-77cc9f352efd<\/span><\/a>\u00a0.<\/p>\n If you want to read it you’ll have to buy a copy from the journal, but I’ve posted an excerpt from their abstract here for your review:<\/p>\n Results:<\/strong> Influenza A occurred in 18 of 167 (10.8%) children in the vitamin D3<\/sub> group compared with 31 of 167 (18.6%) children in the placebo group [relative risk (RR), 0.58; 95% CI: 0.34, 0.99; P<\/em> = 0.04]. The reduction in influenza A was more prominent in children who had not been taking other vitamin D supplements (RR: 0.36; 95% CI: 0.17, 0.79; P<\/em> = 0.006) and who started nursery school after age 3 y (RR: 0.36; 95% CI: 0.17, 0.78; P<\/em> = 0.005). In children with a previous diagnosis of asthma, asthma attacks as a secondary outcome occurred in 2 children receiving vitamin D3<\/sub> compared with 12 children receiving placebo (RR: 0.17; 95% CI: 0.04, 0.73; P<\/em> = 0.006).<\/span><\/p>\n Conclusion:<\/strong> This study suggests that vitamin D3<\/sub> supplementation during the winter may reduce the incidence of influenza A, especially in specific subgroups of schoolchildren. This trial was registered at https:\/\/center.umin.ac.jp as UMIN000001373.<\/span><\/p>\n The reference for the article is:<\/p>\n Mitsuyoshi Urashima, Takaaki Segawa, Minoru Okazaki, Mana Kurihara, Yasuyuki Wada, and Hiroyuki Ida. Randomized trial of vitamin D supplementation to prevent seasonal influenza A in schoolchildren. Am J Clin Nutr<\/em> May 2010 vol. 91 no. 5 1255-1260.<\/p>\n Two thoughts come to mind. 1. I wonder if the influenza vaccine can match these results for Influenza A?, and 2. I suppose it should improve adults odds also.<\/p>\n So, I’m going to keep on taking my 2000 IU of Vitamin D3 every day. Just in case.<\/p>\n Remember, I’m a pharmacist – not a doctor. Check with your doctor before changing your medication regimens or adding any supplements to your daily routine.<\/p>\n Doctors Doctor. Pharmacists Pharmacist. That’s how it’s supposed to be.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Is it possible that vitamin D supplementation could reduce children’s risk of coming down with Influenza A by 58%, and\u00a0of having an asthma attack by 83%? Amazing as these\u00a0claims might seem, this is what was reported in the March 2010 issue of the\u00a0American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The students in this study – which was … Continue reading Vitamin D Lowers the Risk of Getting Influenza A and Asthma Attacks?<\/span>