For many, a discussion of vitamin D’s ability to prevent flu may seem a bit out of season. After all, with temperatures this week here in North Royalton, Ohio pushing 80-degrees, most of us are probably thinking more of poison ivy than colds and flu.
However, a recent study from the March 2010 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, reports that children who take vitamin D supplements during the winter months may be at lower risk for flu.
In this study researchers wanted to measure what, if any, D’s role is in preventing flu. To that end, four hundred and thirty schoolchildren between ages 6 and 15 were randomly assigned to take vitamin D supplements (in the form of vitamin D3; 1,200 IU per day) or a placebo starting in December and ending in late March.
The results? As I think many of us expected, the children who took vitamin D supplements had a lower incidence of flu compared with those who did not: 10.8% of the children in the vitamin D3 group got the flu, compared with 18.6% in the placebo group (a 42% risk reduction). The authors note that certain subgroups of children had more significant reduction than others.
Now, one variable I’d really like to know is what were the serum D levels prior to the study? I’m curious if all participants had the same levels of D to begin with? You’d think the study controleld for this, but I can’t seem to find this answer. Regardless, it would seem the more we learn about vitmain D3, the more we need to ensure we are maintaing optimal levels.
What about you? Are you currently taking vitamin D3? If so, how much? Are you going to reduce in the summer?
