Vitamin deficiency may increase risks of asthma

Published on Wednesday 15 April 2009 22:01

A DIET low in vitamins A and C increases the risk of developing asthma, research suggested today.

A review of 40 studies found that people with low levels of the key vitamins were more likely to suffer from asthma than those without the condition.

Each vitamin was independently linked with an increase in the risk of asthma.

For vitamin A, people with the lowest levels tended to have more severe asthma than other sufferers.

The findings, published in the journal Thorax, contradict those of a large-scale study published last year which found no link between levels of antioxidants in the diet and asthma.

But the latest researchers claim theirs is a more robust study.

Experts say people should be able to get their daily supply of vitamins A and C from a healthy diet. Good sources of vitamin A include cheese, eggs, oily fish (such as mackerel), milk, fortified margarine and yoghurt.

Recommended intakes are 0.7mg a day for an average man and 0.6mg a day for a woman, according to the Food Standards Agency.

Vitamin C is found in a wide variety of fruit and vegetables. Good sources include peppers, broccoli, brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, oranges and kiwis.

It is recommended that adults have 40mg a day.

A total of 5.4 million people in the UK suffer from asthma.