WebMD Medical News Laura J. Martin, MD Feb. 25, 2011 -- Children
who don’t get enough vitamin D may be at increased risk of
developing allergies, new research indicates. Researchers in New
York examined serum vitamin D levels in the blood of more than
3,100 children and adolescents and 3,400 adults. No association
was found between low vitamin D levels and allergies in adults,
but the link was significant in children and adolescents.
Children and adolescents aged 1 to 21 with low vitamin D levels
were at increased risk of having sensitivities to 11 of 17
allergens tested, including environmental and food allergies.
For example, children who had vitamin D deficiency, which was
defined as less than 15 nanograms of vitamin D per milliliter of
blood, were 2.4 times more likely to have a peanut allergy than
kids with sufficient levels, or 30 nanograms of vitamin D per
milliliter of blood. Children with low vitamin D levels also had
increased risk of allergic sensitization to shrimp, dogs,
cockroaches, ragweed, oak