Can Daily Vitamin D Supplementation Reduce Upper Respiratory Infections in elderly?
Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with increased susceptibility to respiratory infections. Daily supplementation has been proposed as a potential intervention to reduce this risk, but the evidence remains uncertain. Recent research has suggested that daily vitamin D supplementation might reduce the risk of acute respiratory infections among individuals with vitamin D deficiency. However, the results of trials investigating this effect in various populations and using different regimens have been inconclusive.
This study was published in the journal of Clinical Infectious Diseases by Carlos A. and colleagues. In this context, the VITamin D and OmegA-3 TriaL (VITAL) sought to determine the impact of daily vitamin D supplementation on the risk of upper respiratory infection (URI) in older adults. The VITAL trial was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study involving 15,804 older adults (mean age 68 years) with baseline serum total 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels. Participants were randomized to receive either vitamin D3 (2000 IU/day) or placebo. The primary outcome was self-reported recent URI at 1-year follow-up.
The key findings of the study were:
• Mean baseline serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level: 31 ng/mL, with <12 ng/mL in 2.4%.
• Overall effect of vitamin D supplementation on recent URI: nonsignificant (odds ratio [OR], 0.96; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.86–1.06).
• In the subgroup with baseline levels <12 ng/mL and no concurrent vitamin D intake, vitamin D supplementation was also nonsignificant (OR, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.28–1.30).
• Limited statistical power to assess effect modification in other subgroups.
Among older adults not specifically selected for vitamin D deficiency, daily vitamin D supplementation did not significantly reduce the risk of URI. Further research is needed to determine if different subgroups may experience varying effects from vitamin D supplementation.
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