Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition that occurs when the airways become inflamed and constricted in response to a trigger like stress, pollution or pet dander. Asthma is treated with medicines that help the airways relax, known as bronchodilators. If you have asthma, your doctor will also likely prescribe medicines to reduce airway inflammation. Some vitamins may play a role in the treatment of asthma, but they should not be used in place of your medicines. Talk to you doctor before taking vitamin supplements.
Helpful Vitamins
The University of Maryland Medical Center states that vitamin C may reduce inflammation and wheezing. Water-soluble vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that helps protect the body's cells from free radical damage. It also plays role an important role in wound healing. An article published in the "American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine" in February 2011 notes that there may be a link between between vitamin D deficiency and lung disease. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that helps the body to absorb calcium.
Sources
A host of foods contain vitamin C, including citrus fruits, baked potatoes, broccoli and strawberries. Vitamin D is also found in a variety of food sources such as fish, milk, cheese and fortified cereals. Both vitamins can also be taken as dietary supplements. Talk to your doctor about the amount of each vitamin needed to support your asthma treatment. It may vary according to your age and other medicines you are taking.
Effectiveness
The results of a study published in the "Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology" show that vitamin D insufficiency is common in children with mild-to-moderate asthma. The researchers also found that asthma patients deficit in vitamin D are at greater risk of requiring hospitalization because of their disease. The results of a study published in "Anatomy & Cell Biology" in December 2010 found that high dose vitamin C alleviates asthma-associated inflammation, leading the authors to conclude that vitamin C could play a role in the management of asthma.
Considerations
Taking a vitamin C supplement is unlikely to cause harm because it is water-soluble, and any amount the body does not require is excreted. However, the Office of Dietary Supplements notes that taking too much may cause nausea and stomach cramps. RxList states that taking a vitamin supplement is unlikely to cause side effects but adds that some people may experience fatigue, sleepiness and headache if they take too much. Talk to your doctor before taking vitamin D if you have kidney disease or atherosclerosis.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Asthma
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin C
- "American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine"; Vitamin D Deficiency Causes Deficits in Lung Function and Alters Lung Structure; G.R. Zosky et al.; February 2011
- MedlinePlus: Vitamin D
- "Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology"; Serum Vitamin D Levels and Severe Asthma Exacerbations in the Childhood Asthma Management Program Study; J.M. Brehm et al., July 2010
- "Anatomy & Cell Biology"; Mega-Dose Vitamin C Attenuated Lung Inflammation in Mouse Asthma Model; Y.J. Yeong et al.; December 2010
