Vitamin D is important for the body and plays, among other things, a role in the immune system. Nevertheless, many people are deficient in this vitamin.
According to Medical News Today, previous research shows that up to one billion people worldwide have vitamin D levels that are too low.
Deficiency is seen especially in countries with limited sunlight and among older population groups.
At the same time, respiratory infections such as pneumonia remain a common cause of hospital admissions.
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This has led researchers to investigate whether there may be a link between the two factors.
More than 36,000 examined
According to Medical News Today, researchers analyzed data from more than 36,000 people aged 40 to 69 in the UK Biobank.
Participants’ vitamin D levels were measured using blood tests. The researchers then examined how many participants were later hospitalized with respiratory infections.
The study is published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and is led by researcher Abi Bournot from the University of Surrey.
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The aim was to investigate whether vitamin D may be associated with the risk of severe respiratory infections.
Results and limitations
The results showed that people with very low vitamin D levels had a 33 percent higher risk of hospitalization compared with those with high levels.
The risk gradually decreased as vitamin D levels increased.
Pulmonologist Fady Youssef told Medical News Today that the study shows an association and does not prove that vitamin D deficiency is the cause.
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The conclusion is therefore that vitamin D deficiency may be a risk factor that should be taken seriously, but that more research is needed.
Sources: Medical News Today, and The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
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