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Vitamin D deficiency may increase risk of colds, influenza
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Vitamin D may be an important way to arm the immune system against disorders like the common cold, according to researchers from the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Children’s Hospital Boston.
In the largest and most nationally representative study of the association between vitamin D and respiratory infections, people with the lowest blood vitamin D levels reported having significantly more recent colds or influenza. The risks were even higher for those with chronic respiratory disorders, such as asthma and emphysema.
“Individuals with common lung diseases, such as asthma or emphysema, may be particularly susceptible to respiratory infections from vitamin D deficiency,” Adit Ginde, MD, MPH, University of Colorado Denver Division of Emergency Medicine, said in a study.
He and his colleagues analyzed data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 3), conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics. Researchers conducted home interviews with participants about their health and nutrition, and most participants also received a physical examination that included collection of blood and other samples for laboratory analysis. The research team analyzed blood levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D from almost 19,000 adolescent and adult participants, selected to be representative of the overall population in the United States.
Study participants with the lowest vitamin D blood levels were about 40% more likely to report having a recent respiratory infection than were those with vitamin D levels of 30 or higher. The association was present in all seasons and even stronger among participants with a history of asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, including emphysema. Asthma patients with the lowest vitamin D levels were five times more likely to have had a recent respiratory infection; among COPD patients, respiratory infections were twice as common for those with vitamin D deficiency.
The researchers called for more study before vitamin D is recommended to prevent colds and influenza.
Arch Intern Med. 2009;169:384-390.