Updated review reveals supplementation does not impact rate of exacerbations requiring systemic corticosteroids <\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter<\/b><\/p>\n
<\/b><\/p>\n
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 8, 2023 (HealthDay News) — Updated evidence suggests that supplementation with vitamin D or its hydroxylated metabolites does not reduce the risk for asthma exacerbations, according to a study published online Feb. 6 in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews<\/em>.<\/em><\/p>\n Anne Williamson, from the Queen Mary University of London, and colleagues examined the effectiveness and safety of administration of vitamin D or its hydroxylated metabolites for reducing the risk for asthma exacerbations and improving asthma symptom control in a review of trials. Twenty studies were included: 15 with 1,155 children and five with 1,070 adults.<\/p>\n The researchers found that the proportion of participants experiencing one or more asthma exacerbations treated with systemic corticosteroids was not affected by administration of vitamin D or its hydroxylated metabolites. Vitamin D supplementation also had no effect on the rate of exacerbations requiring systemic corticosteroids or the time to first exacerbation. No evidence of effect modification was seen by baseline vitamin D status, vitamin D dose, frequency of dosing regimen, or age. <\/p>\n “In contrast to our previous Cochrane review on this topic, this updated review does not find that vitamin D offers protection against asthma attacks or improves control of asthma symptoms,” a coauthor said in a statement. “However, the trials we looked at did not include many people with severe asthma or people with very low levels of vitamin D in their blood, so these are areas where more research is still needed.”<\/p>\n One author disclosed financial ties to the pharmaceutical industry.<\/p>\n