A cross-sectional study published in Nutrients has further revealed the power of vitamin D intake as a preventative measure against seasonal respiratory infections in children.
During the two year study, researchers from the Victor Babeş University of Medicine and Pharmacy (VBUoMP) concluded that higher vitamin D intake was associated with a 78% decrease in the risk of developing a respiratory infection.
Those that consumed more than 800IU per week were also less likely to experience recurring infections.
This finding bolsters the current evidence to suggest that vitamin D supplementation can be highly useful for supporting immune health — especially in bouts of seasonal illness often experienced in the winter months.
Long-term study supports vit D supplementation
Vitamin D is one of the most highly researched nutrients, and a range of studies have found a correlation between vitamin D levels and the incidence of infections.Therefore, many already view the vitamin as an important immune health-supporting ingredient.
However, researchers at the VBUoMP wanted to identify the benefits of this nutrient in both young children and teens.
To achieve this, they ran a two year study exploring the relationship between respiratory infection incidence and vitamin D intake/levels. 194 participants between the ages of 1 and 18 were recruited, with data collected from groups based on weekly vitamin D intake via supplements and vitamin D levels.
While the group with the least intake had a 60% rate of infection, the group with the highest intake had a infection rate of 16.7%.
Respiratory infections were classified by the presence of symptoms such as coughing, sore throat, fever and a runny nose.
Researchers also found that vitamin D supplementation and vitamin D level were independently associated with respiratory infection risk.
The positive effects of vitamin D supplementation were seen most prevalently in younger children, suggesting that early intervention with vitamin D could help this demographic to steer clear of these illnesses during peak infection periods.
This could be particularly useful for children in preschool and daycare, as they are often highly exposed to pathogens through their peers.
"These studies could lead to more targeted public health strategies and interventions aimed at optimising vitamin D concentrations to prevent infections in children," concluded Elena Tanase, first author of this study.