More vitamin D linked to better lung health

By Stephen Daniells

13/12/2005 - High levels of vitamin D may help our lungs stay healthy, according to researchers from New Zealand.

“Our research shows that vitamin D may have a strong influence on lung health, with greater levels of vitamin D associated with greater and more positive effects on lung function,�?said lead author Peter Black from the University of Auckland.
The relationship between lung function and vitamin D was examined by using 14,000 participants from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) carried out between 1988 and 1994.

Lung function was measured by the volume of air that could be forcibly blown out in total, the forced vital capacity (FVC), or in one second, the forced expiratory volume (FEV1). Vitamin D was quantified by serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, the standard indicator of vitamin D levels.

“The difference in lung function between the highest and lowest [levels] of vitamin D is substantial [106 mL for FEV1, and 142 mL for FVC],�?said Dr Black.

“Although there is a definite relationship between lung function and vitamin D, it is unclear if increases in vitamin D through supplements or dietary intake will actually improve lung function in patients with chronic respiratory diseases,�?he said.

An earlier study from Harvard University also proposed a link between vitamin D and lung health. Presented at the 96th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (April 2005) this research suggested that high levels of vitamin D from diets, supplements and sunlight exposure enhanced the survival rates of patients recovering from lung-cancer surgery.

The researchers from New Zealand said that vitamin D supplements could be a simple, low-cost method to prevent or slow the loss of lung function. They stressed, however, that further studies were needed to establish the exact relationship between vitamin D and lung function.

Vitamin D supplements have been recommended to specific demographic groups in countries like Denmark and Britain due to its positive link to bone health. A recent study from Iceland suggested that vitamin D levels were more important than calcium to ensure healthy bones. The European recommended daily allowance of vitamin D is 5 micrograms per day.

The research was published in the December issue of Chest (vol 128, no 6).

From:   http://www.nutraingredients.com/news/