Vitamin D protects against colds and flu, finds major global study

[AussieNeil]

New Scientist reports that according to a study led by Queen Mary University of London. If everyone took vitamin D supplements, more than 3 million fewer people in the UK would have respiratory infections like colds or flu every year. That’s according to a new analysis of data from nearly 11,000 people.

Vitamin D is known to be important for bone and muscle health. Last year, Public Health England stated that people are not generally getting the recommended 10 micrograms of vitamin D a day from sunlight in winter. But whether vitamin D supplements can help has been a hot topic, with some arguing that benefits of taking these are uncertain.

The latest study pulled together data from 25 clinical trials, conducted in 14 countries. It concluded that supplements can help prevent acute respiratory tract infections, particularly among those who are deficient in vitamin D.

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the study found that vitamin D supplements can cut the proportion of people getting such infections by 12 per cent.

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So should we all start taking supplements? “The bottom line is that the protective effects of vitamin D supplementation are strongest in those who have the lowest vitamin D levels and when supplementation is given daily or weekly, rather than in more widely spaced doses,” says Martineau.

There are plenty of previous posts about how common vitamin D deficiency is in CLL patients, with many of us finding that taking vitamin D3 supplements to move our serum levels into the normal range helps reduce our fatigue. Reducing our risk of colds and flu, which can lead to deadly pneumonia, (recognising that the flu can be deadly to us too), may be an unexpected added bonus!

newscientist.com/article/21...

bmj.com/content/356/bmj.i6583

sciencedaily.com/releases/2...

Neil

Photo: Your generation of natural vitamin D may be temporarily interrupted by passing clouds. Pastures under cloud dappled sunlight.

[scarletnoir]

Don't overdo time in the Sun, though - we CLLers are 8x as likely to get skin cancers as the general population - as I know to my cost. Keep an eye on the UV levels, and be especially wary when it climbs above 3 on the index.

[cllady01 Former Volunteer]

I am In the process of bringing my D levels to "normal". I hope that does chase the fatigue a bit lower.

[splashsplash]

I use a Factor 50 sun block for babies every day after being advised to by a friend who is a skin specialist. Then to compensate I take 1 x 1000mg Vit D3 in oil capsule daily which does seem to up my energy levels.

[mehall51]

I have been taking D3 100 IU (25ug) daily for the last 6months and not a cold in sight. All thanks to the good articles posted on here. Cheers all and recommended by a now converted vitamin cynic...

Mike

[AussieNeil Administrator]

Medpage Today's summary: medpagetoday.com/Pulmonolog...