Vitamin D supplements could stop flu

New research has suggested that Vitamin D supplements could spare more than three million people in the UK from colds or flu each year.

Published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), the researchers suggest that food should be fortified with the vitamin as it has a role in the immune system, as well as being vital for bone development.

The immune system uses vitamin D to make antimicrobial weapons that puncture holes in bacteria and viruses, so offering supplements in the winter, when vitamin D levels are naturally lower, could be beneficial.

The research collected data on 11,321 people from 25 separate trials, with a team at Queen Mary University of London looking at respiratory tract infections, like the flu and pneumonia.

The study claims that one person would be spared infection for every 33 taking vitamin D supplements, which is more effective than flu vaccination, which needs to treat 40 to prevent one case.

Professor Adrian Martineau, who was a member of the research team, said: "Assuming a UK population of 65 million, and that 70 per cent have at least one acute respiratory infection each year, then daily or weekly vitamin D supplements will mean 3.25 million fewer people would get at least one acute respiratory infection a year."

Public Health England (PHE) already recommends vitamin D supplements in the autumn and winter for the sake of healthy bones and muscles, but have said that the study ‘does not provide sufficient evidence to support recommending vitamin D for reducing the risk of respiratory tract infections’.