Scientists have suggested that the amount of time that asthma patients spend in the sun may have an impact on their illness. A research team at King’s College London said low levels of vitamin D – made by the body in sunlight – has been linked to a worsening of symptoms. Its latest research shows that the vitamin calms an over-active part of the immune system in asthma, the BBC reported.
However, treatment of patients with vitamin D has not yet been tested. Prof Catherine Hawrylowicz and her group researched the impact that vitamin D has on a chemical in the body, interleukin-17 – a vital part of the immune system, which helps to ward off infections. But the chemical can cause problems when levels are too high, which has been strongly implicated in asthma.