Doctors Advised to Take Vitamin D During Flu Epidemic

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that vaccination is the best measure against the swine flu; but researchers acknowledged that some other measures may also be taken to reduce risk of the viral infection.

In an article published in 2009 in the Journal of Environmental Pathology, Toxicology and Oncology, Edlich RF and colleagues from the University of Virginia Health System in Charlottesville recommend that "all health-care workers and patients be tested and  treated for vitamin D deficiency to prevent exacerbation of a respiratory infection.

The recommendation is based on the evidence that vitamin d deficiency can "precipitate the flu virus."

In the article titled Pandemic Preparedness for Swine Flu Influenza in the United States, the authors discussed measures doctors and nurses may take to prevent swine flu from spreading to their patients.

Edlich and colleagues also suggest that healthcare workers should be wearing a facial respirator while they are aware that some healthcare workers are resistant to receiving swine flu vaccine.

Few medical organizations, if any, nor any governmental health agencies recommend that vitamin D be used to prevent swine flu or any other viral infections.

Dr. John Cannell, director of Vitamin D Council says that vitamin D induces production of antibacterial peptides and boosts innate immune response against bacteria and viruses.

Dr. Cannell has also reported that two physicians, one in Wisconsin and the other in Georgia, observed that maintaining high levels of serum vitamin D helps prevent swine flu.

Cannell suggests that effective doses adults should take range from 4000 to 6000 International Units.

Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with myriad health problems including 17 cancers, heart disease, diabetes, depression, autoimmune disease, and many other afflictions.

By David Liu and editing by Rachel Stockton