“Results: 25 eligible randomised controlled trials (total 11,321 participants, aged 0 to 95 years) were identified. IPD were obtained for 10,933 (96.6%) participants. Vitamin D supplementation reduced the risk of acute respiratory tract infection among all participants… The body of evidence contributing to these analyses was assessed as being of high quality…
Conclusions and policy implications: Our study reports a major new indication for vitamin D supplementation: the prevention of acute respiratory tract infection. We also show that people who are very deficient in vitamin D and those receiving daily or weekly supplementation without additional bolus doses experienced particular benefit. Our results add to the body of evidence supporting the introduction of public health measures such as food fortification to improve vitamin D status, particularly in settings where profound vitamin D deficiency is common.”
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