Low vitamin D tied to asthma attacks

Asthmatic children with relatively low vitamin D levels in their blood may have a greater risk of suffering severe asthma attacks than those with higher levels of the vitamin, a new study published in Journal of Allergy & Clinical Immunology suggests. Considering other risk factors researchers have found that vitamin D insufficiency itself was linked to a 50 percent increase in the risk of severe asthma attacks.

Vitamin D may be best known for its role in healthy bone development and maintenance, but it is also needed for normal nerve, muscle and immune system function. Some studies have linked low vitamin D levels to a higher risk of type 1 or "insulin-dependent" diabetes in children and, in adults, heart disease and certain cancers.

 The effects of vitamin D on the immune system, which include the inflammatory response to infections, might help explain why higher levels of the vitamin were linked to a lower risk of severe asthma exacerbations, according to the researchers.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that infants, children and teenagers get 400 IU of vitamin D each day. Milk, breakfast cereals and orange juice fortified with the vitamin are the main food sources, though some fatty fish naturally contain high amounts of vitamin D. Experts recommend vitamin pills for children who do not get enough of the vitamin from food.

Vitamin D is naturally synthesised in the skin when it is exposed to sunlight.

Source: Reuters