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Australian researchers from the Telethon Kids Institute have tracked the levels of vitamin D among children in Perth, from birth till age 10 and have found that Vitamin D deficient children are more prone to be suffer from asthma and other allergies as they grow up.

Lack of Vitamin D can lead to Asthma in Kids

The study showed that there is a positive relationship between the increased complaints of Vitamin D deficiency in early childhood and higher rate of asthma and allergies like eczema at the age 10.

Elysia Hollams, the lead researcher expressed that the findings of their research showed that vitamin D plays a vital role in maintaining the human immune system. It also aids in healthy lung development.

Defecient Babies carry 1.3 times the risk of Asthma

"The study has shown a clear link between prolonged vitamin D deficiency in early childhood and the development of asthma," Hollams says. The study was conducted between 2001 and 2010 on over 9700 children, collected from over 25,000 adults in the U.S. National Health Survey. 

Asthma involves inflammation and a contraction in the airways, which makes breathing difficult.  According to the research, vitamin D deficient babies are 1.3 times more prone to be affected by harmful bacteria in their upper respiratory tract, and are more liable to severe respiratory tract infections.

Vitamin D in Early Childhood

 "We still don't know what the optimal level of vitamin D is for good lung health and immune function, and we don't know if supplementation would address this issue, or if healthy sun exposure is what is required, given that vitamin D is an indirect measure of recent sun exposure," Hollams said.

Co-author, Prue Hart expressed that the study emphasizes on the importance of vitamin D at childhood. Though UV radiation from the Sun is a natural source of vitamin D one shouldn't ignore to undergo a "sun-safe exposure", she added.

The researchers also cautioned against pushing to sell or replace vitamin D supplements for asthma treatment.