Vitamin D
improves immunity against influenza!
March 2010: Numerous studies have shown that
people with higher levels of vitamin D have a reduced risk for
infections (as well as cancer, hypertension, depression, and
autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis).
However, with regard to infection, we did not have a formal
clinical trial showing that the immuno-supportive benefits of
vitamin D had been proven scientifically.
In March 2010, the first
clinical trial was published which proves that vitamin D
improves immunity and helps patients (children in this study)
avoid influenza. The benefit was impressive (about 40%
reduction in influenza cases), and the benefit was even more
pronounced in children with asthma (84% reduction in influenza
cases).
Vitamin D in children has previously been shown to reduce the
risk for type-1 diabetes by about 80% and to also reduce the
risk for schizophrenia.
The summary of the "vitamin D helps prevent influenza study" is
provided here:
Background:
To our knowledge, no rigorously designed clinical
trials have evaluated the relation between vitamin D and
physician-diagnosed seasonal influenza.
Objective: We
investigated the effect of vitamin D supplements
on the incidence of seasonal influenza A in schoolchildren.
Design: From
December 2008 through March 2009, we conducted a
randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial comparing
vitamin D3
supplements (1200 IU/d) with placebo in
schoolchildren. The primary outcome was the
incidence of influenza A, diagnosed with
influenza antigen testing with a nasopharyngeal swab
specimen.
Results:
Influenza A occurred in 18 of 167 (10.8%) children in the vitamin D3 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 = 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 = 0.006) and who started nursery
school after age 3 y (RR: 0.36; 95% CI: 0.17, 0.78;
P = 0.005). In children with a previous
diagnosis of asthma, asthma attacks as a secondary outcome
occurred in 2 children receiving vitamin D3 compared with 12 children receiving
placebo (RR: 0.17; 95% CI: 0.04, 0.73; P =
0.006).
Conclusion:
This study suggests
that vitamin D3 supplementation during
the winter may reduce the incidence of influenza A,
especially in specific subgroups of
schoolchildren.
Dr. Vasquez's comment:
Vitamin D has such excellent safety and so many benefits (see my
review article published in 2004) that virtually everyone--from
children to adults--should take a daily vitamin D supplement.
We measure vitamin D levels in patients all the time, and I have
seen only *one* normal result among hundreds of tests performed.
In fact, when I was practicing in Houston Texas, I tested one
patient who's vitamin D level was so low it was
undetectable by the medical laboratory.
Our professional-grade multivitamin (Multi-Pro-Vit)
contains 2,000 IU of vitamin D3 per serving (6 caps per day).
This is a great way to get your daily vitamin D along with all
of the other supplemental vitamins and minerals that can protect
and promote health.
We also have vitamin D3 available as
2,000 units per drop (easy to
swallow, tastes like sesame seeds) and
2,000 units per capsule
depending on your preference. Our vitamin D drop has
been tested in a clinical trial and shown to be highly
effective.
Summary: This
liquid form of vitamin D supplementation provides 2,000 IU per
drop of vitamin D3 in an easy-to-absorb emulsified form of
vitamin D mixed with sesame oil. One drop has a slight nutty
taste to it. This form of vitamin D administration is perfect
for infants and children and anyone who might otherwise be at
risk for choking on pills or tablets. We have used this form of
vitamin D supplementation for years in thousands of patients. It
is also the form of vitamin D supplementation that we used in
our clinical trial published in 2008 in the prestigious
Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.
Use: 1-2 drops per day for a total daily dose of
approximately 4,000 IU per day for adults.
Benefits: Please see
Dr Vasquez's review published in 2004 (linked below).
Cautions: Please see
Dr Vasquez's review published in 2004 (linked below) for complete details.
For patients taking the drug hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), for
patients with hyperparathyroidism or other cause of
hypercalcemia, and for patients with sarcoidosis, vitamin D
supplementation should be used only with a doctor’s supervision
and laboratory assessment of serum calcium levels.
For more
information on the importance of vitamin-mineral
supplementation, please see this audio-video by Dr
Vasquez [Open
in Flash window; go to
video and text]
