Vitamin D may protect against influenza

(WTNH) - We've all heard of certain benefits of taking vitamins, but researchers at Greenwich Hospital and Yale say taking Vitamin D could be what you need to protect yourself from viral respiratory infections including influenza.

Marea Dumbauld follows a fairly healthy lifestyle. The mother of four makes sure the rest of her family is just as healthy. Part of their regimen includes taking Vitamin D.

"Actually I take 5000 mg five times a week," Dumbauld said, "so typically I take it Monday through Friday and then I'm off Saturday and Sunday."

Marea's doctor recommended Vitamin D for bone density, but a study by researchers at Greenwich Hospital and Yale finds that Vitamin D can boost the immune system as well.

"We found that for those participants who had levels 38 ng/ml of blood or higher, they had a marked reduction in the incidence and severity of viral infections," said Principal investigator Dr. James Sabetta , an infectious disease specialist at Greenwich Hospital.

Dr. Sabetta said the seasonal nature of viral infections such as influenza and lower Vitamin D levels in the fall and winter led researchers to look at a possible link.

"We actually found that the risk was cut in half if your level was 38 or above and the exact incidence was 2.7 times higher in those who had lower levels," he said.

So what does this all mean when it comes to taking Vitamin D? "We think its important to have a good level of Vitamin D. We think 38 ng/ml or higher to reduce your chance and severity of getting viral infections."

Marea took part in the study and was diagnosed with H1N1 flu in the middle of it. "It lasted for 24 hours which is kinda unusual because most poeple had it for sometimes two weeks and I had it literally for less than 24 hours."

It was a convincing enough result for Marea to keep her family on track.

198 people participated in the Vitamin D study. It was a double blind study, meaning the participants did not know researchers were measuring Vitamin D and the investigators did not know their levels. Dr. Sabetta suggests getting your Vitamin D level measured to make sure it is at an adequate level.

Scientific details on the study are available at http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0011088