{"id":295452,"date":"2017-02-18T09:59:33","date_gmt":"2017-02-18T09:59:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=295452"},"modified":"2017-02-18T09:59:33","modified_gmt":"2017-02-18T09:59:33","slug":"vitamin-d-pills-could-stop-colds-or-flu-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2017\/02\/vitamin-d-pills-could-stop-colds-or-flu-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Vitamin D pills ‘could stop colds or flu’"},"content":{"rendered":"
Vitamin D supplements could spare more than three million people from colds or flu in the UK each year, researchers claim.<\/p>\n
The sunshine vitamin is vital for healthy bones, but also has a role in the immune system.<\/p>\n
The analysis, published in the British Medical Journal, argues food should be fortified with the vitamin.<\/p>\n
But Public Health England (PHE) says the infections data is not conclusive, although it does recommend supplements.<\/p>\n
These, it says, should be taken for improved bone and muscle health.<\/p>\n
The immune system uses vitamin D to make antimicrobial weapons that puncture holes in bacteria and viruses.<\/p>\n
But as vitamin D is made in the skin while out in the sun, many people have low levels during winter.<\/p>\n