According to a 2010 report in the journal Thorax, 60% of patients with severe COPD and 77% with very severe COPD had vitamin D blood levels under 20 ng/ml, a level experts say is insuffient.
A recent study in Belgium, took 50 patients with COPD with symptoms that included shortness of breath, coughing and phlegm, monitored them for 3 months, testing the effectiveness of vitamin D.
Half the patients received 100,000 IU of vitamin D each month while the other half received a placebo.
At the beginning of the study and at the end of the study, researchers tested their muscle strength in their lungs and their legs, their vitamin D levels and their exercise capacity. Improvements in quality of life before and after the study were also noted.
At the end of the study, those receiving the high dosage of vitamin D had improvement in respiratory muscle strength and could exercise longer and more intensely than those who were not getting vitamin D.
According to Miek Hornikx, physiotherapist and doctoral student in the department of pneumology at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Leuven, Belgium, she said, "Our study shows that high doses of vitamin D supplementation on top of a standard rehabilitation program improve the outcome in terms of exercise capacity and respiratory muscle strength."
Hornikx added, "Since vitamin D is often depleted in patients with COPD, we wanted to see if vitamin D supplementation would have a beneficial effect on rehabilitation among these patients."
The study was presented at the 2011 American Thoracic Society International Conference in Denver.
The U.S. recommended daily allowance of vitamin D is 600 IU daily for adults up to age 70 and 800 IU daily for adults over 70. Source: fox40tv
What is the best way to get vitamin D?
Sun exposure is the best, but know that, if you are putting on suncreens, they will inhibit the amount of vitamin D the body can absorb.
If you live in the northern latitudes, to get your D levels in normal range, we suggest you choose vitamin D in supplement form, by choosing the cholecalciferol version (D3), which is more bioavailable than the ergocalciferol (D2) type.
According to Dr. Jonathan Wright, whos expertise is in alternative health, he recommends a minimum of 5,000 IU of vitamin D daily and depending on where you live and how much sun exposure you are receiving, many of us may need between 5,000 IU and 10,000 IU daily.
Note: HealthIsInReach suggests, something to consider using, if suffering from COPD or any type of breathing problems is the Original Sun Ancon Chi Machine.
Shared with: the healthy home economist
