Last year (December 2008), Dr. Carrie Jones wrote a great EmpowHer article on the benefits of Vitamin D, and now there is another benefit to Vitamin D....
Vitamin D is linked to lower incidences of common cold, flu and other respiratory illnesses!
The Archives of Internal Medicine (February 23,2009) found that, "people with the lowest blood vitamin D levels reported having significantly more recent colds or cases of the flu."
Hopefully, this finding will lead to additional research to study the effects of Vitamin D supplementation, and its use in decreasing the incidence of cold/flu and other upper respiratory tract infections (URTI).
Coach Virginia also wrote about Vitamin D's benefits, and Dr. Susan wrote that individuals should be obtaining "2000IU per day of Vitamin D during the winter months (when we are less likely to receive our Vitamin D from the sun), whereas the Food and Nutrition Board recommends 200IU per day", in the article, Winter Warning: Start thinking about Vitamin D.
Do you have enough Vitamin D, from either being outside (about 15 minutes per day is adequate), from foods and/or vitamins? Next time you have a cold or flu, be sure to ask your doctor about increasing your Vitamin D intake (and, there may be evidence that it is better to increase your intake proactively, to prevent the cold and flu).
You can read more about this story at Medical News Today
Original Study can be read at the Archives of Internal Medicine site
What do you currently do to curb your cold? Do you take supplements, as I know many people take echinacea, zinc, Vitamin C...would you now add Vitamin D to this list?