Kids Need More Vitamin D to Avoid Allergies & Asthma

Kids who have low levels of vitamin D tend to have more allergies, according to a new study from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine at Yeshiva University. They found that children with low or "deficient" vitamin D blood levels were a lot more sensitive to allergens than kids who had higher levels of the nutrient.

One example: children who had very little vitamin D in their bodies (less than 15 nanograms per milliliter of blood) were 240% more likely to have the dangerous peanut allergy that has become more common in recent years. Experts say that this confirms the findings of a 2007 Harvard study. That study showed more sunlight exposure reduces the risks of both allergies and asthma in children. The study also found that pregnant women with low vitamin D levels were much more likely to have babies with allergies and/or asthma than women with higher levels.

The bottom line: let your kids play outside in the sun more, give them more vitamin D-rich foods, and/or consider giving them vitamin D supplements. And do the same yourself if you're pregnant or nursing!

Learn some mo': Vitamin D deficiency may be a factor in development of allergies