Vitamin D and respiratory tract infections

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Associations have been shown between vitamin D levels and several respiratory tract infections suggesting that vitamin D deficiency may predispose to infection. Outbreaks of respiratory infections occur predominantly during months associated with lower exposure to the sun. While Institute of Medicine concluded in a 2011 report that the existing data were "not consistently supportive of a causal role" for vitamin D in reducing the risk of infection, [1] other reviews suggest that vitamin D supplementation can provide a protective role in reducing the incidence or severity of respiratory infections. [2] [3]

Contents

Beneficial effects of supplemental vitamin D for patients with COPD have also been shown. [4]

Ultraviolet radiation and vitamin D

An inverse association between exposure to the sun and upper respiratory tract infections was first proposed in 1926 by Smiley, who theorized that seasonality of infection was caused by “disordered vitamine metabolism in the human...directly due to a lack of solar radiation during the dark months of winter.” [5] Studies of Dutch [6] and Russian [7] subjects have also indicated a correlation of ultraviolet light exposure and relative absence of infection. However, the seasonality of infections such as influenza may also be explicable by other factors. For example, low absolute humidity favours the survival of the influenza virus. [8] A review by authors from the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy suggested that while low-dose vitamin D supplementation was unlikely to be harmful, "sensible sun exposure" was "an inexpensive and enjoyable way" to ensure healthy levels of vitamin D. [9]

Evidence

Evidence both for and against an association of vitamin D and respiratory infections has been reported. Early studies of vitamin D and mice came to different conclusions, with one group reporting a link and the other no link between deficiency and infection. [9] More recent studies of humans have also had divergent results. People with the lowest blood vitamin D levels reported having significantly more recent colds or cases of the flu chronic respiratory disorders, especially those who had pre-existing respiratory ailments [10] Children who took vitamin D3 supplements daily in winter were 42% less likely to get infected with seasonal flu than those who were given a placebo. [11] Mongolian schoolchildren who drank vitamin D fortified milk during winter reported having fewer colds than those who received non-fortified milk. [12] Another study found no effect of vitamin D supplementation on the incidence or severity of upper respiratory tract infections. Authors of one of the positive studies also stressed that their results would need to be confirmed in clinical trials before vitamin D could be recommended to prevent infections. [13]

The Institute of Medicine released a comprehensive, peer-reviewed report on calcium and vitamin D in 2011. The conclusion of the report was that the existing studies did not provide strong or consistent evidence for a link between vitamin D deficiency and respiratory tract infections. The authors stated that data from randomised controlled trials would be needed, showing a dose response to vitamin D supplementation, before recommendations could be considered. [1] In contrast, a more recent meta-analysis concluded "Vitamin D supplementation was safe and it protected against acute respiratory tract infection overall. Patients who were very vitamin D deficient and those not receiving bolus doses experienced the most benefit." [2]

Low serum levels of vitamin D appear to be a risk factor for tuberculosis. [14] However, supplementation trials showed no benefit. [15] [16] Vitamin D supplementation does not help prevent asthma attacks or alleviate symptoms. [17]

Vitamin D supplementation

Proponents of the vitamin D hypothesis have recommended dietary supplements (5,000 International Units (IU)/day for adults and 1,000 IU/day for every 25 pounds of body weight in children) and suggested that larger doses (2,000 IU/kg/day for 3–4 days) could be used to treat influenza. [18] [19] It has been noted that large doses of vitamin D can lead to hypercalcemia and that "single megadoses" of vitamin D, while not especially harmful, may be associated with an increased risk of bone fractures. [9]

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References

  1. 1 2 Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium and Vitamin D Committee to Review Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin D and Calcium, Food and Nutrition Board. A. Catharine Ross, Christine L. Taylor, Ann L. Yaktine, and Heather B. Del Valle, Editors. Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, 2011.
  2. 1 2 Martineau AR, Jolliffe DA, Greenberg L, Aloia JF, Bergman P, Dubnov-Raz G, et al. (January 2019). "Vitamin D supplementation to prevent acute respiratory infections: individual participant data meta-analysis". Health Technology Assessment . 23 (2): 1–44. doi:10.3310/hta23020. PMC   6369419 . PMID   30675873.
  3. ↑ Martineau AR, Jolliffe DA, Hooper RL, Greenberg L, Aloia JF, Bergman P, et al. (February 2017). "Vitamin D supplementation to prevent acute respiratory tract infections: systematic review and meta-analysis of individual participant data". BMJ. 356: i6583. doi:10.1136/bmj.i6583. PMC   5310969 . PMID   28202713.
  4. ↑ Jolliffe DA, Greenberg L, Hooper RL, Mathyssen C, Rafiq R, de Jongh RT, Camargo CA, Griffiths CJ, Janssens W, Martineau AR (April 2019). "Vitamin D to prevent exacerbations of COPD: systematic review and meta-analysis of individual participant data from randomised controlled trials". Thorax. 74 (4): 337–345. doi: 10.1136/thoraxjnl-2018-212092 . PMID   30630893.
  5. ↑ Smiley DF. Seasonal factors in the incidence of the acute respiratory infections. Am J Hyg 1926;6:621-6, p. 626
  6. ↑ Termorshuizen F, Wijga A, Gerritsen J, Neijens HJ, van Loveren H (October 2004). "Exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation and respiratory tract symptoms in 1-year-old children". Photodermatol Photoimmunol Photomed. 20 (5): 270–1. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0781.2004.00110.x. PMID   15379879. S2CID   6674965.
  7. ↑ Gigineĭshvili GR, Il’in NI, Suzdal’nitskiĭ RS, Levando VA. The use of UV irradiation to correct the immune system and decrease morbidity in athletes [in Russian]. Vopr Kurortol Fizioter Lech Fiz Kult 1990 May-Jun:30-3.
  8. ↑ Shaman J, Kohn M (March 2009). "Absolute humidity modulates influenza survival, transmission, and seasonality" (PDF). Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 106 (9): 3243–8. Bibcode:2009PNAS..106.3243S. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0806852106 . PMC   2651255 . PMID   19204283.
  9. 1 2 3 Haines ST, Park SK (April 2012). "Vitamin D supplementation: what's known, what to do, and what's needed". Pharmacotherapy. 32 (4): 354–82. doi:10.1002/phar.1037. PMID   22461123. S2CID   25985630.
  10. ↑ Ginde AA, Mansbach JM, Camargo CA (February 2009). "Association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level and upper respiratory tract infection in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey". Archives of Internal Medicine. 169 (4): 384–90. doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2008.560. PMC   3447082 . PMID   19237723.
  11. ↑ Urashima M, Segawa T, Okazaki M, Kurihara M, Wada Y, Ida H (May 2010). "Randomized trial of vitamin D supplementation to prevent seasonal influenza A in schoolchildren". The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 91 (5): 1255–60. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.2009.29094 . PMID   20219962.
  12. ↑ Camargo; et al. (August 2012). "Randomized Trial of Vitamin D Supplementation and Risk of Acute Respiratory Tract Infection in Mongolia". Pediatrics. 130 (3): e561–7. doi:10.1542/peds.2011-3029. PMID   22908115. S2CID   3092825.
  13. ↑ Ginde AA, Mansbach JM, Camargo CA (February 2009). "Association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level and upper respiratory tract infection in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey". Arch. Intern. Med. 169 (4): 384–90. doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2008.560. PMC   3447082 . PMID   19237723.
  14. ↑ Nnoaham KE, Clarke A (February 2008). "Low serum vitamin D levels and tuberculosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis". International Journal of Epidemiology. 37 (1): 113–9. CiteSeerX   10.1.1.513.3969 . doi:10.1093/ije/dym247. PMID   18245055.
  15. ↑ Goyal JP, Singh S, Bishnoi R, Bhardwaj P, Kaur RJ, Dhingra S, Yadav D, Dutta S, Charan J (July 2022). "Efficacy and safety of vitamin D in tuberculosis patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis". Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther. 20 (7): 1049–59. doi:10.1080/14787210.2022.2071702. PMID   35477334.
  16. ↑ Cao Y, Wang X, Liu P, Su Y, Yu H, Du J (January 2022). "Vitamin D and the risk of latent tuberculosis infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis". BMC Pulm Med. 22 (1): 39. doi: 10.1186/s12890-022-01830-5 . PMC   8772077 . PMID   35045861.
  17. ↑ Williamson A, Martineau AR, Sheikh A, Jolliffe D, Griffiths CJ (February 2023). "Vitamin D for the management of asthma". Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2023 (2): CD011511. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD011511.pub3. PMC   9899558 . PMID   36744416.
  18. ↑ Cannell JJ, Vieth R, Umhau JC, et al. (December 2006). "Epidemic influenza and vitamin D". Epidemiol. Infect. 134 (6): 1129–40. doi:10.1017/S0950268806007175. PMC   2870528 . PMID   16959053.
  19. ↑ Cannell JJ, Zasloff M, Garland CF, Scragg R, Giovannucci E (2008). "On the epidemiology of influenza". Virol. J. 5: 29. doi: 10.1186/1743-422X-5-29 . PMC   2279112 . PMID   18298852.
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