Vitamin D Protects You from Flu, Oxford Scientists Find

Published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (AJCN), this new study suggests that having enough vitamin D can significantly reduce the risk of being hospitalized with flu and other respiratory infections. To carry out the study, researchers from the Universities of Surrey, Oxford, and Reading in the UK analyzed health data from around 36,000 British adults. They found that people with very low vitamin D levels were 33 percent more likely to be admitted to hospital for illnesses such as flu, pneumonia, and bronchitis than those with healthy levels. The study also showed that for every small increase in vitamin D in the blood, the risk of hospital admission fell steadily.

Vitamin D is perhaps best known for helping keep bones and muscles strong. Increasingly, however, research now shows it also helps the immune system fight infections. Because the body mainly produces vitamin D through sunlight, many people become deficient during the colder, darker months. The AJCN researchers found that severe deficiency was strongly linked to higher hospital risk, while optimal levels were linked to better protection. Out of nearly 28,000 people studied in detail, more than 2,200 were hospitalized with respiratory infections, with older adults particularly vulnerable.

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