This Vitamin Could Reduce Asthma Attacks in Half - Study

There are various benefits of taking a vitamin D supplement, these include possibly fighting off depression and preventing multiple sclerosis. A new study is pointing to 1 more reason you may want to check your vitamin D levels, and it has to do with asthma attacks.
A recent study which was published online in Lancet Respiratory Medicine, reported that taking vitamin D supplements can help in reducing the risk of a severe asthma attack. In the study, oral vitamin D supplements were also shown to help in reducing asthma attacks that would require treatment by injections or steroid pills by up to 30%.

Study

For the study, the researchers studied 955 asthma patient particpants and their progress during 7 randomized controlled trials. As per MedPageToday, the effect reported the most statistical significance in patients with low baseline vitamin D levels, as opposed to patients with higher baseline levels. To find out your vitamin D levels, consult with your health care provider about testing.
“This fits with the broad understanding that vitamin D supplementation is likely to give the greatest benefit to those who have the lowest vitamin D levels to begin with,” according to Adrian Martineau, PhD, of the Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry’s Blizard Institute in London as published in MedPage Today.
The study conducted was not the first to report regarding the benefits of vitamin D supplements for asthma. A previous review in Cochrane reported that vitamin D supplements can help in reducing the risk of asthma exacerbation by up to 37%.
“High-quality evidence that were gathered from the randomized placebo-controlled trials indicates that vitamin D supplementation can help in reducing risk of asthma attacks”. 
These new studies raises the possibility that people with the lowest vitamin D levels may benefit the most, but have not yet shown this definitively.
To further understand their findings, the researchers are advocating for future testing of vitamin D levels in patients who have experience an exacerbation of their asthma symptoms, and also giving vitamin D-deficient asthma sufferers an oral dose of vitamin D3 daily.
Vitamin D is not the only supplement that was reported to help asthma attacks. Previous research indicates that the omega-3 fatty acids present in fish oil can help in reducing the severity of asthma symptoms.
But, before you begin taking vitamin D3 supplements or any supplements, read up on their potential health consequences. Also, talk with your healthcare provider to ensure you take the proper dosage, most importantly that it will not interfere with your other medications. You can also get your daily dose of D by adding more vitamin D-rich foods into your diet.

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