Re: Immune System Support is More Than Washing Hands

Studies of Vitamin D for infections.

Epidemic influenza and vitamin D. 2006
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16959053

In 1981, R. Edgar Hope-Simpson proposed that a 'seasonal stimulus' intimately associated with solar radiation explained the remarkable seasonality of epidemic influenza. Solar radiation triggers robust seasonal vitamin D production in the skin; vitamin D deficiency is common in the winter, and activated vitamin D, 1,25(OH)2D, a steroid hormone, has profound effects on human immunity. 1,25(OH)2D acts as an immune system modulator, preventing excessive expression of inflammatory cytokines and increasing the 'oxidative burst' potential of macrophages. Perhaps most importantly, it dramatically stimulates the expression of potent anti-microbial peptides, which exist in neutrophils, monocytes, natural killer cells, and in epithelial cells lining the respiratory tract where they play a major role in protecting the lung from infection....


Vitamin D supplementation to prevent acute respiratory infections [ARI]: ...meta-analysis.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30675873


RESULTS:
We identified 25 eligible [trials] (a total of 11,321 participants,... Vitamin D supplementation reduced the risk of ARI among all participants ... Among those receiving daily or weekly vitamin D, protective effects of vitamin D were stronger in individuals with a baseline [low vitamin D]... Vitamin D did not influence the proportion of participants experiencing at least one serious adverse event....

CONCLUSIONS:
Vitamin D supplementation was safe, and it protected against ARIs overall. Very deficient individuals and those not receiving bolus doses experienced the benefit....

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