Does Vitamin D Help With Asthma?
A recent JAMA study yielded a negative conclusion, but a new study on a different population found significant benefit.
Indian researchers have concluded that vitamin D has a “definite role” in the management of moderate to severe bronchial asthma, even though a JAMA study yielded null results just weeks ago.
In the six-month study on 100 asthmatic children in India, researchers Madhu Yadav and Kundan Mittal assigned each child to a daily sachet of vitamin D3 (totaling 60,000 IU each month) or glucose placebo. Monthly visits up until the end of the study would indicate that vitamin D3 use was associated with fewer asthma attacks, significantly lower use of steroid drugs for asthma relief, significantly reduced asthma severity, and better test scores with a peak expiratory flow meter.
While Yadav and Mittal admit that they should have measured vitamin D blood levels before and during the study, their conclusion that vitamin D has a “definite role” in managing asthma alongside standard asthma treatment makes matters interesting. The JAMA study on 200 adults using the inhaler drug ciclesonide with added vitamin D3 did not show similar benefit.
It appears the jury is still out on whether or not vitamin D intake can help with asthma.
Robby Gardnerâ¨
Associate Editorâ¨
Nutritional Outlook magazineâ¨
robby.gardner@ubm.com
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