Vitamin D2026-08

Micronutrients in Pediatric Asthma: Biological Mechanisms and Clinical Evidence-A Narrative Review.

Chereches-Panta Paraschiva, Pop Claudia Felicia, Bocșan Ioana Corina, Moldovan Orlanda et al. — Nutrients

Summary

This review investigated the connection between micronutrients, particularly vitamin D, and asthma control in children. It found that children with lower vitamin D levels tend to experience asthma attacks more frequently. However, the effectiveness of vitamin D supplements in managing the disease remains a subject of ongoing discussion and requires further research.

AI-generated summary — read the original

Key points

This review explored how micronutrients, including vitamin D, might influence asthma in children.
Lower vitamin D levels in children are associated with more frequent asthma flare-ups.
The evidence regarding vitamin D's impact on asthma attack severity or hospitalizations is inconsistent.
The benefits of vitamin D supplementation for asthma control are still a topic of scientific debate.

What the study looked at

{ "What question the study asked": "This review aimed to understand how deficiencies in certain micronutrients, such as vitamin D, iron, and folic acid, might influence the control of asthma in children. The goal was to clarify whether current scientific knowledge provides enough evidence to recommend specific dietary measures for children with asthma.", "How it was studied (design/participants)": "Researchers conducted a narrative review, which involves analyzing and summarizing existing scientific literature. They examined studies published over the past 20 years, searching major medical databases to gather information on the impact of these micronutrient deficiencies on asthma control.", "What it found": "The review indicated that children with lower vitamin D levels tend to experience asthma attacks more often. However, the evidence was less consistent regarding whether vitamin D deficiency affects the severity of these attacks or the need for hospital visits. The study also noted that the benefits of vitamin D supplementation for asthma control are still a topic of ongoing discussion among scientists, with controversial effects reported." }

Dietary takeaway

While this review suggests a link between lower vitamin D levels and more frequent asthma attacks in children, it's important to remember that the role of vitamin D supplements for asthma control is still being explored. Ensuring adequate vitamin D intake through fortified foods like milk and cereals, fatty fish, or safe sun exposure is generally beneficial for overall health. However, specific dietary recommendations for managing asthma should always be discussed with a healthcare professional, as one study alone cannot provide definitive answers.

Abstract

Asthma is the most common chronic inflammatory disease in childhood, with complex pathogenesis and heterogeneous clinical manifestations. Current efforts are focused on achieving remission through phenotyping and personalized therapy. Micronutrient deficiency is commonly observed in both children and adults, and current evidence points to their role in the pathogenesis of numerous acute and chronic conditions. In this narrative review, we analyzed current information regarding the influence of micronutrient deficiencies on asthma control. The aim was to clarify the extent to which current knowledge provides evidence for implementing specific dietary measures in children with asthma to achieve disease control. We conducted a review of the literature covering the past 20 years to assess the impact of iron, vitamin D, and folic acid deficiency on asthma control. The research was performed in PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library and Embase. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with the frequency of asthma exacerbations in children. However, data regarding the severity of exacerbations, hospitalizations, or emergency department visits are not consistent across different studies. Vitamin D supplementation has controversial effects on disease control. Iron deficiency may contribute to the development of asthma, but there is no clear evidence. Observational studies have reported associations between iron deficiency, poorer asthma control, frequent exacerbations, and impaired lung function. An association between low folate levels and increased asthma risk and poorer asthma control was also reported. Assessing micronutrient status in children with asthma and the effect of correcting deficiencies as part of a personalized treatment plan to achieve symptom control remains a topic that requires further research.

View on PubMed →DOI: 10.3390/nu18152567