Vitamin D levels linked to healthy lung function

Researchers in New Zealand recently examined the relationship between lung function and vitamin D and published their findings in the December issue of the journal Chest. Low concentrations of vitamin D have been associated with a number of diseases, including osteoporosis, hypertension, and type I diabetes. Research now indicates that serum concentrations of vitamin D might also influence pulmonary function.

Subjects included 14,091 adults, participants from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) carried out between 1988 and 1994. Lung function was measured by the volume of air that could be forcibly blown out in total, the forced vital capacity (FVC), or in one second, the forced expiratory volume (FEV1). Vitamin D was measured using serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, the standard indicator of vitamin D levels.

The difference in lung function between the groups with the highest and lowest vitamin D intake was substantial in both the FVC and FEV1 tests.

Although further studies are necessary to determine whether supplementation with vitamin D is of any benefit in patients with chronic respiratory disease, the researchers stated that vitamin D supplements could be a simple, low-cost method to prevent or slow the loss of lung function.

Chest 2005 Dec;128(6):3792-8.