The time that patients suffering from asthma and spend it in the sun could have a positive effect on the disease, according to a new study by a team of researchers from King’s College London, informs BBC News.
According to them, a lower level of vitamin D, vitamin that is synthesized in the body, the skin, subject to sunlight, is linked to worsening asthma symptoms. This study indicates that vitamin D in sufficient quantity has the effect of calming the overactive immune system in asthma cases.
However, so far not been tested patients with asthma treatment based on vitamin D. People with asthma have difficulty breathing get when their paths upper air become inflamed and narrow during asthma crisis. Most of these patients receive a treatment based on steroids, but it has no effect in all cases.
“We know that people with higher levels of vitamin D can control their asthma better accesses – and this connection is very important,” says Prof. Catherine Hawrylowicz, who led the study.
The team of scientists studied the impact of vitamin D on a chemical in the body, interleukin-17. This substance is a vital component of the immune system and plays an important role in fighting infections. But if its level is too high, it can cause problems and has implications in asthma cases.
In this study, published in the latest issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology demonstrates that vitamin D can reduce the levels of interleukin-17, when this vitamin is added to the blood samples taken from 28 patients.
The team currently pursuing a number of clinical tests to verify reducing the intensity of asthma symptoms in patients who receive extra vitamin D. The target group for these tests consists of patients with asthma who do not respond to usual treatment based on steroids , because their body can find a level of interleukin-17 up to 7 times higher than in other patients who respond to treatment classic anti-asthmatic.
“We believe that by treatment with vitamin D, patients resistant to drugs asthma based steroids can benefit from these drugs, and those who can better control asthma could take fewer drugs based on steroids,” according Prof. Catherine Hawrylowicz.
She added that the “culture” of flight in front of the sun and use sunscreen cream resulted in an increased incidence of diseases of asthma, “but it is a message to be interpreted carefully as too much exposure to the sun it is harmful. “
