Vitamin D may help immune system fight tuberculosis
Diet-conscious consumers who want to avoid nutrient deficiencies while on a budget could save money by shopping at an online Canadian pharmacy.
Diet-conscious consumers who want to avoid nutrient deficiencies while on a budget could save money by shopping at an online Canadian pharmacy. These businesses sell brand-name drugs, over the counter medications and dietary supplements at a fraction of the cost. People who don't get enough sunlight may benefit from taking vitamin D, which new research suggests may help the immune system fight infections such as tuberculosis (TB).
Vitamin D helps the bones absorb calcium and grow stronger. It is also vital to the muscles, nerves and immune system, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements, a division of the National Institutes of Health. Sources for this nutrient include dairy, fatty fish and sunlight.
Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, discovered that when it comes to the immune system, vitamin D helps T-cells - which are a class of disease-fighting white blood cells - activate other responses from the immune system, as published in the journal Science Translational Medicine. Further experiments showed blood with low levels of vitamin D, such as samples taken from people with dark skin that helps protect them from the sun, is not as strong in fighting off TB, a bacterial infection that researchers say kills 1.8 million people worldwide every year.
"Our findings suggest that increasing vitamin D levels through supplementation may improve the immune response to infections such as tuberculosis," said author Mario Fabri.
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