Asthma: Take a deep breath with vitamin D.

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MunichAsthma cannot be cured. However, the symptoms can be managed well with medication. In addition, asthmatics should enjoy the sun more often, show Dr. Ronit Confino-Cohen and his team from Tel Aviv University. Because a replenished vitamin D content in the body apparently prevents asthma attacks.

To do this, the scientists evaluated health insurance data from Israel's largest insurance company. The study included data from a total of 308,000 members between the ages of 22 and 50 who had their vitamin D content measured at least once. 21,000 of them were asthma patients.

The researchers calculated whether there was a connection between chronic asthma and vitamin D deficiency or between asthma attacks and a vitamin deficit. In their analysis, Confino-Cohen and his colleagues also considered other asthma triggers such as smoking, obesity or other chronic diseases.

A quarter more attacks

The result: asthmatics who have too little vitamin D in their blood have acute attacks 25 percent more often. However, the researchers did not find a connection between the vitamin D level and an asthma diagnosis. "For asthma patients with recurring attacks, it might make sense to have their vitamin D content measured regularly," says Confino-Cohen. Patients with a deficiency may find it helpful to take vitamin D supplements.

The sun vitamin

Our body produces vitamin D mainly through the action of sunlight on the skin. Around 90 percent of the demand can be met in this way. But only if we are not wrapped up thickly or hardly go out into the fresh air. Experts assume that at least 60 percent of Germans have too low a vitamin D level in their blood in winter. Few foods contain large amounts of vitamin D. Fatty sea fish such as herring, salmon, eel and tuna are at the forefront. (away)

Source: Confino-Cohen R. et al .: Vitamin D, asthma prevalence and asthma exacerbations: a large adult population-based study, Allergy, 2014.

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