Boosting Vitamin D May Help Lung Health During Flu Season

We’re knee deep in Fall, and by now you may have joined the ranks of nose wipers across the U. S. with the flu. While flu shot initiatives remain plentiful, as we head into the season where the cold and the flu run rampant, it’s important to consider all of your options for staying healthy.

We have come to know that vitamin D holds many health perks, such as reducing the risk of bone fractures, helping to reduce the risk of lung cancer and maybe helping to whittle the waistline. But what if vitamin D could help you sail through the winter months sans cold or flu? Harvard researchers studied over 250 children who have been known to suffer from low levels of vitamin D, especially during winter months. Data confirmed such, with all of the study subjects showing low levels of vitamin D. For seven weeks, one group was given vitamin D which was added to milk. The other group was just given the milk, without added vitamin D. The results? The vitamin D levels of those given the vitamin D nearly tripled. And they also had about half as many incidents of the cold or flu than their D-deficient study partners. ”Our study design provides strong evidence that the association between low vitamin D and respiratory infections is causal and that treating low vitamin D levels in children with an inexpensive and safe supplement will prevent some respiratory infections,” says Harvard professor Camargo.

While health experts caution against viewing vitamin D as a total remedy for the cold and flu, this study shows the benefit of D for the many with existing low vitamin D levels. Like those living in Northern countries, for instance. “The key question for future research is at what initial vitamin D level would children no longer receive benefit from winter supplementation,” says Camargo.

So, if you are looking to cut your risk of getting a cold or the flu this winter, ask your doctor to check your vitamin D level. If low, adding an extra bit of vitamin D may just launch you into spring this year without looking like Rudolph!

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