Lung health and vitamin D

Among smokers, lung function may decline in those who have a vitamin D deficiency, than in those with normal vitamin D levels.

However, although boosting levels of vitamin D may offer some protection to the lungs from the effects of smoking, it won’t prevent deteriorating lung function or smoking-related health problems, such as heart disease, stroke and cancer.

The most important intervention though, for both lung and overall health, is for people to stop smoking.

Although everybody loses some lung function as they age, smokers lose lung function faster than non-smokers. Vitamin D deficiency is probably making it worse.

(American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine July 19th 2012)