Not only is the flu a nuisance, it can even be life-threatening in some cases. So it makes sense that people would be willing to get a flu shot to protect themselves, but there may be a better way.According to a study published in…
Not only is the flu a nuisance, it can even be life-threatening in some cases. So it makes sense that people would be willing to get a flu shot to protect themselves, but there may be a better way. Taking a relatively large daily dose of vitamin D3 may be a very useful strategy for avoiding flu-like symptoms, according to a study published in January in the scientific journal Nutrients.
Active Vitamin D
The study, conducted by a team of US scientists from different universities, aimed to test the hypothesis that daily supplementation with 5,000 IU (international units) (equivalent to 125 micrograms) of vitamin D3 could reduce flu-like illness. (ILI), including other viruses among health care workers. Vitamin D3 is the active form of the nutrient and is considered better than vitamin D2, which is the nutrient that has not been converted into its active form.
At least two months of supplementation
A random group of medical staff were invited to supplement vitamin D3 every day for 9 months, while another random group of medical staff served as a control group and did not receive any intervention. To be included in the analysis, participants had to complete at least two months of supplementation to ensure their blood vitamin D levels were high enough.
Reduced risk and incidence of influenza
A total of 255 healthcare workers took vitamin D supplements for at least two months and were compared with a control group of 2,827 colleagues to see how they responded to taking vitamin D. It turns out that vitamin D supplements reduce the risk of getting the flu. Incidence of illness-like and non-COVID-19 influenza-like symptoms.
Help control immune system
This isn’t the first study to show that vitamin D can reduce the risk of respiratory infections. Over the years, numerous published studies have demonstrated the protective effects of this nutrient, which is known to, among other things, help maintain good immune function. One of the really important functions of vitamin D related to the immune system is regulating the inflammatory process, which is a natural immune response that can easily become complicated if something goes wrong.
Prevent excessive inflammation
When viral particles invade our respiratory tract through the nasal passages, they launch an inflammatory attack that kills the invader and eliminates the threat. Essentially, it was a short, efficient operation that ended quickly. In some cases, however, the inflammatory response can be prolonged to the point where it begins to attack the body’s own cells and tissues. This is a process called hyperinflammation and involves a cytokine storm, a severe immune response in which the body releases too many cytokines into the bloodstream too quickly. Cytokines play a crucial role in normal immune responses, but they can be harmful when present in large amounts.
Very important for the elderly
With adequate amounts of vitamin D in your blood, your immune system is better able to control itself and perform its different functions correctly. This is why vitamin D is so important, especially for older adults. People with well-functioning immune systems can easily recover from the flu, whereas a dramatic, prolonged immune response is more likely to be a potentially fatal threat to older adults, whose immune systems are typically less efficient. This certainly won’t help if you are vitamin D deficient.
fountain:
Daily supplementation with 5000 IU vitamin D3 prevents influenza-like illness in health care workers: a pragmatic randomized clinical trial Nutrients 2023, 15(1), 180; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15010180
**You can find ActiveComplex Vitamin D in 1600IU (40 mcg) and ActiveComplex Vitamin D Forte in 3200IU (80 mcg).