Vitamin D Prevents Seasonal Flu.

Earlier researchers found that in a study on vitamin D and osteoporosis, they noticed that people taking vitamin D were three times less likely to report cold and flu symptoms.

Vitamin D3, or cholecalciferol, is more readily absorbed by the body and more potent than vitamin D2, or ergocalciferol, the form often found in multivitamins.

During the study, conducted between December 2008 and March 2009, 31 of 167 children taking placebo caught influenza A, the most common form of the virus, compared with only 18 of 167 taking vitamin D.

The vitamin D group was 58 percent less likely to catch influenza A, as reported by researchers in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Interestingly, vitamin D also appeared to suppress asthma attacks in children with a history of asthma. Two children taking vitamin D had asthma attacks during the study, compared to 12 children taking placebo.

This is the first time a study has been done that rigorously shows that vitamin D supplementation can reduce a type of influenza in a dedicated clinical trial, according to researchers.

However, in the Japanese study, vitamin D supplementation did not prevent influenza type B, which tends to appear later in the flu season than the "A" flu variety.

It's unclear why vitamin D prevented influenza A and not influenza B, and as usual, "more research is needed in this area" to tell us why.

Based on the current study, giving kids vitamin D supplements during the winter may help reduce cases of influenza A, the researchers conclude.

Rinaldi PT offers LifeSource Vitamins and their Vitamin D is inexpensive and VERY VERY GOOD.  We keep in on stock in the office or, you may go directly to the website and order it here.  Reference Amy Rinaldi on checkout.