Severe vitamin D deficiency is associated with a higher rate of hospitalization for respiratory tract infections, such as bronchitis and pneumonia. That’s according to a new study led by the University of Surrey and published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
In the largest study of its kind, researchers analyzed National Health Service (NHS) data from the U.K. Biobank to investigate the association between vitamin D status and the rate of hospitalization due to respiratory tract infections. Globally, lower respiratory tract infections are among the top 20 leading causes of mortality among individuals aged 50–74 years and in the top 10 leading causes of mortality among those aged 75 years and older.
The paper, “Association Between Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Status and Respiratory Tract Infections Requiring Hospital Admission: Unmatched Case-Control Analysis of Ethnic Groups From the United Kingdom Biobank Cohort,” highlights key findings. Scientists found that individuals with low vitamin D levels (below 15 nmol/L) were 33% more likely to be admitted for treatment than those with sufficient levels of vitamin D (at least 75 nmol/L).
“Vitamin D is vital to our physical wellbeing. Not only does it keep our bones and muscles healthy, its antibacterial and antiviral properties are also thought to help reduce the risk of respiratory tract infections that can lead to hospitalization,” said Abi Burnout, MSc, lead author and BBSRC Food Biosystems PhD Research Fellow, in a press release. “This research attaches hard data to support the theory.”
Researchers from Surrey collaborated with the University of Reading and University of Oxford, examining data of 36,258 participants. They found that for each 10 nmol/L increase in vitamin D, the hospitalization rate for respiratory tract infections decreased by 4%.
“Our findings of a significant association between increased vitamin D levels in our bodies and reduced hospital admission rates warrants further study,” said postdoctoral researcher Andrea Darling, PhD. “[It] points to the potential for vitamin D supplementation and consumption of vitamin D-fortified foods to reduce the risk of hospitalization with respiratory infections in the future.”
Burnout said the standard recommended intake is 10 micrograms of vitamin D per day, which majority of people don’t meet. Establishing a standard strategy to increase supplementation would help mitigate pressures on health systems, added Dr. Darling.
