Vitamin D Supplements More Effective For Flu Or Cold Than Vaccination? Details Here!

A new study discovered that vitamin D supplements could protect people against acute respiratory infections. The immune system uses it in creating protection of the body from microorganisms like bacteria and viruses.

The main function of vitamin D is to control the supply of calcium and phosphate in the body, BBC News reported. Therefore, these should be consumed for bone and muscle's health improvement. However, since vitamin D is synthesized in the skin under the sun, lots of people contain decrease levels during winter.

Researchers at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) examined respiratory tract infections. This includes broad sort of ailments from a sniffle to flu to pneumonia.

From their analysis, they suggest that in every 33 individuals who took vitamin D supplements, one of them would be protected from respiratory tract infection. It shows that this is more effective than flu shots, in which only one case is prevented in every 40 vaccination.

There are more advantages for people who take vitamin D in a daily or weekly basis as compared to a monthly dose. The new study that was published in the British Medical Journal, argues food to be enriched with vitamin D. Even so, Public Health England (PHE) states that the respiratory tract infections' data is not definite although it recommends supplements.

In fact, it already advised everybody to take vitamin D supplements during autumn and winter for bones and muscles' fitness. These are as well recommended all year round especially for people who obtain a rare amount of sunlight on their skin like those of housekeepers.

The tests on the vitamin D consumption to prevent infections yield diverse results. Consequently, the researchers pooled data on 11,321 people from 25 different trials to attain a conclusive outcome.

"Assuming a UK population of 65 million, and that 70 percent have at least one acute respiratory infection each year, then daily or weekly vitamin D supplements will mean 3.25 million fewer people would get at least one acute respiratory infection a year," research member Prof Adrian Martineau, said.

There are reasonable arguments about the significance of the latest study. As per Prof Louis Levy, the head of nutrition science at PHE, the proof is inconsistent. There's no enough evidence to reinforce the recommendation of vitamin D for respiratory tract infection risks' reduction. Professor Martin Hewison, from the University of Birmingham and the Society for Endocrinology, however, expressed that the findings were impressive.