A magic allergy-prevention pill?

By Christine O'Brien on 03/13/2011

Ragweed. Pollen. Dogs. Cats. Peanuts. Soy. Dust mites. Oak.

You name it, someone's probably allergic to it.

But what if we could prevent that? What if a single vitamin, started early, could keep kids from developing all those allergies that in the best case leave us uncomfortable, and in the worst case threaten our lives?

And of course, if you had to pick the vitamin that might just be up for this job -- which one would you pick?

Of course, it's that powerhouse of total health, vitamin D.

A study of more than 3,100 children and adolescents (and 3,400 adults), recently published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, has found one more reason to celebrate vitamin D.

Researchers examined serum vitamin D in blood samples and paired their findings with a unique, comprehensive study involving interviews, physical exams, and lab studies. They studied 17 different allergens in relation to those vitamin D levels.

When it came to adults, there was no association.

But there was a very different story when it came to the kids and teens. Low vitamin D levels correlated with sensitivity to many of the tested allergens -- 11 of the 17, in fact. Kids with vitamin D deficiency, for instance, were 2.4 times as likely to be allergic to peanuts as those kids who had enough vitamin D in their blood.

Of course, they're saying it's an association and doesn't really prove that being D-deficient leads to allergies. But I have to wonder -- how long until we see that very headline?

And of course they're taking the safe road and saying kids should get enough vitamin D anyway (which is something with which I, of course, have to agree). They say 600 international units (IU) per day.

That's not even close to what Dr. Wright suggests for kids in the studied age range. He recommends 4,000 IU daily for adults and teens, 1,000 IU for infants and small children, and 2,000 IU for everyone in between. Of course, it's always best to consult with a doctor skilled in natural medicine in determining proper supplement dosage.