Is Vitamin D the Answer for Preventing Flu?
According to an article published in Oct. of 2013 the answer is Yes.
Doctors in Japan have found that children taking vitamin D reduced the incidence of flu by 50%. In a trial consisting of 345 children, aged six to 15 years, they found that one in ten children taking vitamin D came down with flu compared with one in five given a placebo. The doctor leading the trial told The Times that vitamin D was more effective than vaccines in preventing flu.
Vitamin D, sometimes called the sun vitamin is created naturally through exposure to sunlight. In the winter months when people spend more time indoors and there is less exposure to sunlight, the risk for infections such as flu becomes more prevalent.
Vitamin D acts as an immune system modulator, preventing excessive production of inflammatory proteins (cytokines) and increasing a certain type of white cell activity (macrophage). Vitamin D also stimulates the production of potent anti-microbial peptides in other white blood cells and in cells lining the respiratory tract. This protects the lungs from infection and triggers cell activity to disable viruses. Vitamin D acts as a natural antibiotic. It works against every type of microbe (viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites).
Good Sources of Vitamin D.
1. Sunlight exposure.
2. Fatty fish such as salmon, trout, mackerel, tuna, and eel.
3. Milk or orange juice fortified with Vitamin D.
4. Supplements.
5. Egg yolk (Vitamin D is found in the yolk, not in the whites).
6. Fortified cereals.
7. Beef liver (also a good source of iron and protein).
8. Cod liver oil.
More on this topic can be found at http://preventdisease.com/news/13/102213_Vitamin-D-Proven-More-Effective-Anti-Viral-Drugs-Vaccines-Preventing-Flu.shtml