By David Liu PHD

Monday July 23, 2012 (foodconsumer.org) -- Taking vitamin D supplements may help reduce exacerbation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to a study reported Jan 17, 2012 in Annals of internal Medicine.

The study led by A. Lehouck of University Hospitals Leuven in Belgium and colleagues showed that of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, those who had severe vitamin D deficiency supplemented with 100,000 IU of vitamin D every four weeks for one year were 43 percent less likely to experience exacerbation, compared to those who did not use supplements.

The researchers reported "low serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-[OH]D) levels have been associated with lower FEV(1), impaired immunologic control, and increased airway inflammation." and "many patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have vitamin D deficiency."

FEV(1), a lung function testing stands for forced expiratory volume in 1 second.  Lower FEV(1) means lower lung function.

The randomized, single-center, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involved 182 patients with moderate to very severe COPD and a history of recent exacerbation. In the trial, patients were given 100,000 IU of vitamin D supplementation or placebo every 4 weeks for 1 year and outcomes recorded included first exacerbation, exacerbation rate, time to first hospitalization, time to second exacerbation, FEV(1), quality of life, and death.

Patients receiving vitamin D supplements were found to significantly increase their serum 25-(OH)D levels, compared to those who did not receive the supplement.  However, supplemented or not, all patients had similar median times to first exacerbation, exacerbation rates, FEV(1), hospitalization, quality of life, and death. 

However, of 30 participants with severe vitamin D deficiency whose serum 25-[OH]D levels  were lower than 10 ng/mL at baseline, those who received vitamin D supplements reduced exacerbation by 43 percent, compared to those who did not.

The researchers concluded "High-dose vitamin D supplementation in a sample of patients with COPD did not reduce the incidence of exacerbation. In participants with severe vitamin D deficiency at baseline, supplementation may reduce exacerbation."

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a progressive lung disease that makes it hard to breathe.  It can cause coughing that produces large amounts of mucus, wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and other symptoms, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute.  The disease is mainly caused by cigarette smoking and long term exposure to other lung irritants such as air pollutants, chemical fumes or dust.