New research suggests that the amount of time you spend soaking up the sunshine could help to reduce the impact asthma has on your body. Vitamin D is created in the body by exposure to sunlight which could affect your symptoms if you suffer from asthma. This is connected to new research which has found that vitamin D calms the overactive element of your immune system which triggers asthma. However, researchers have stated that further studies need to be carried out to see whether treating asthma patients with vitamin D is effective in curing the condition. Asthma is a respiratory disease which affects the person’s ability to breathe, with the airways becoming inflamed and swollen after the immune system generates an overactive response to triggers – common triggers include pollen, pollution and chemicals in the air. Generally, people are treated with steroids for this, but not all people find these effective.
Researchers are surprised by the effect that vitamin D has had on people trying to control their asthma, finding that the vitamin was crucial in helping the immune system to fight infections. However, it was noted that if the levels get too high it can have an adverse effect and strongly implicate the asthma. For steroid-resistant patients, this could be the answer to treating their symptoms and helping them to control this condition. Covering up in the sunshine and using sun cream could, according to researchers, have increased the rates of asthma being diagnosed – however, the message is still important, as too much sun can be extremely bad for you.
Spokespeople from the charity Asthma UK stated that current medications work effectively for the majority of patients, but new research is vital for helping those who can’t control their symptoms with steroids. Many people are also worried about the side effects of the medication, so if vitamin D works to treat the condition, it could serve as a healthier alternative to help them live a normal way of life.
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