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Vitamin D supplementation may cut risk for acute respiratory infections

A meta-analysis published in the journal Health Technology Assessment suggests that vitamin D supplementation may protect against acute respiratory tract infections (ARIs) and the potential benefit is seen when a daily or weekly supplement is given to people with lowest vitamin D levels.

For this meta-analysis, researchers conducted a search across electronic databases and identified 25 randomised controlled trials (n=11,321) that assessed the effects of vitamin D supplementation vs placebo on the incidence of ARIs. Oral vitamin D3 was administered as bolus doses monthly to once every 3 months in 7 studies, weekly doses in 3 studies, a daily dose in 12 studies and as a combination of bolus and daily doses in 3 studies. Individual participant data were obtained for 10,933 out of 11,321 participants in these studies.

The pooled results showed that vitamin D supplementation significantly lowered the overall risk for ARIs (adjusted OR [aOR], 0.88; 95% CI, 0.81-0.96; P=.003). Subgroup analyses showed that protective effects of vitamin D against ARIs were observed in individuals receiving daily or weekly vitamin D without additional bolus doses (aOR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.72-0.91; P<.001), but not in those receiving 1 or more bolus doses (aOR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.86-1.10; Pinteraction=.05). Protective effects of vitamin D were stronger in individuals with a baseline 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentration <25 nmol/L (aOR, 0.30; 95% CI, 0.17-0.53; P<.001) vs those with a baseline 25(OH)D concentration ≥25 nmol/L (aOR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.60-0.95; P=.02). Vitamin D supplementation was not associated with serious adverse events (aOR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.80-1.20; P=.83).

Authors suggested, “Our results add to the evidence supporting the introduction of public health measures, such as food fortification, to improve vitamin D status in settings in which profound vitamin D deficiency is common.”


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