Therapeutic Effects of Vitamin D in Asthma and Allergy

Mini Rev Med Chem. 2015;15(11):935-43. doi: 10.2174/1389557515666150519110640.

Abstract

In recent years, low vitamin D status has been proposed as a putative risk factor for allergic diseases. A growing body of literature reports low vitamin D levels in atopic patients and supports an association between vitamin D deficiency and risk of adverse asthma and allergies outcomes. Therefore, it has been speculated that vitamin D supplementation may either prevent or reduce the risk of allergic diseases. Birth cohort studies addressing the role of vitamin D intake during pregnancy have shown conflicting results regarding allergy outcomes in offspring. Currently, only a few studies have tried to supplement vitamin D in asthmatic patients, often as an add-on therapy to standard asthma controller medications, and results are not all consistent. There is emerging data to show that vitamin D can enhance the antiinflammatory effects of glucocorticoids and potentially be used as adjuvant therapy in steroid-resistant asthma. Recent in vivo data suggest that vitamin D supplementation may also reduce the severity of atopic dermatitis. This review examines the existing relevant literature focusing on vitamin D supplementation in the treatment of allergic diseases.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Asthma / drug therapy*
  • Asthma / pathology
  • Clinical Trials as Topic
  • Dermatitis, Atopic / drug therapy
  • Dermatitis, Atopic / pathology
  • Dietary Supplements
  • Food Hypersensitivity / drug therapy
  • Food Hypersensitivity / pathology
  • Humans
  • Hypersensitivity / drug therapy*
  • Hypersensitivity / pathology
  • Vitamin D / analogs & derivatives
  • Vitamin D / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Vitamin D