Asthma: too little vitamin D may worsen the condition

Asthmatics with vitamin D deficiency possess a 25 percent greater chance of experiencing acute respiratory attacks. Screening levels of the vitamin and restoring normal amounts, including through supplements, could be a simple strategy to manage asthma attacks and improve quality of life.

This is suggested by a study conducted by Dr. Ronit Confino-Cohen and her colleagues at Tel Aviv University (Israel). The new research, published in the journal Allergy, aimed to confirm the link between vitamin D and asthma.

Asthma: a very common chronic disease

Asthma represents one of the most common respiratory diseases in the world, and, over the past 30 years it has been increasing. It manifests itself through a 'chronic inflammation of the airways that causes recurrent episodes of so-called asthma attacks. Factors involved in the 'origin of the disease are numerous and also include obesity and sedentary lifestyle, and, as suggested by some studies vitamin D deficiency may increase the risk of asthma. 

Vitamin D has a strong immunomodulatory action and can be taken through the consumption of foods such as fish, eggs, milk, and cod liver oil. As is well known, the sun also contributes significantly to its production. Most of the existing data on the link between the vitamin and asthma have been conducted on the pediatric population. In contrast, the current study involved a large population of young adults with no other diseases.

Further evidence of the relationship between vitamin D and asthma

The study analyzed data from millions of Israeli subjects, aged 22 to 50 years, collected between July 2008 and July 2012. The team analyzed serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, a vitamin D precursor, of 307,900 people, taking into account predisposing factors for asthma, such as obesity, smoking, and other chronic diseases. Among the 21,000 patients found to have the asthmatic disorder, those with a vitamin D deficiency had shown 25 percent more attacks in the recent past than other asthmatic subjects.

Increasing vitamin D levels could help manage asthma attacks

The results of the study suggest a beneficial role of vitamin D on asthma exacerbations, although further studies are needed to support this hypothesis. As stated by the researchers who 'conducted it, this research highlights the value of screening vitamin D levels in patients with asthma who suffer recurrent exacerbations, and if necessary resorting to 'supplementation. In any case, dermatologists also recommend getting vitamin D through food, and not resorting to excessive sun exposure.  

Source: R. Confino-Cohen, I. Brufman, A. Goldberg and B. S. Feldman. "Vitamin D, asthma prevalence and asthma exacerbations: a large adult population-based study" Allergy. Volume 69, Issue 12, pages 1673-1680, December 2014. Article first published online: 3 OCT 2014, DOI: 10.1111/all.12508