Can vitamin D reduce the risk of a severe asthma attack?

An international team of researchers looked into this if vitamin D can reduce the risk of a severe asthma attack.  They analysed seven trails that included 435 children and two others that included 658 adults all of whom had mild-to-moderate asthma.

According to the study, Vitamin D halves (from 6% to 3%) the risk of a severe attack requiring hospital treatment.  None of the people who took a Vitamin D supplement suffered any adverse reactions.  So taking supplements or getting out in the sunshine during the summer months, could become an important part of asthma treatment.

What was unclear from the study what how many of the people taking part were already deficient in Vitamin D.

Reference

AR Martineau, CJ Cates, M Urashima et al, 2016, Does vitamin D prevent asthma attacks or improve control of asthma symptoms or both?, Cochrane Database System Review

See >> http://www.cochrane.org/CD011511/AIRWAYS_vitamin-d-prevent-asthma-attacks

 

 

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