Can You Avoid Getting the Flu Shot by Taking Vitamin D?

As another flu season arrives, we are inundated with advertising and public service announcements reminding us to get our flu shot. Granted, it is important for certain demographics to protect themselves from influenza. The CDC reports that more than 1,100 deaths caused by influenza and an additional 36,000 influenza related deaths such as pneumonic and cardiovascular ailments.

There have been several studies that indicate that the flu shot may not be necessary. It is not the purpose of this article to prove or disprove the effectiveness of the flu shot. There are many studies that indicate that a vitamin D deficiency can make you more susceptible to influenza as well as many other ailments. A quick internet search will show many of these studies and opinions.

First, consider what vitamin D is. In an article written by Donald W. Miller, MD, Avoid Flu Shots, Take Vitamin D Instead, Dr. Miller goes into great detail of how vitamin D works. In layman terms (derived from this article), skin contains a derivative called 7-dehydrocholesterol. When UVB radiation (typically from sunlight) it activates molecules to form vitamin D. This vitamin D can regulates more than 1,000 genes including cells in the immune system. Vitamin D controls these genes to make peptides. Peptides are like antibiotics. These peptides are able to destroy bacteria and viruses.

A vitamin D deficiency can be the cause of many illnesses and other health problems. In accidental "study" studied by Dr. J.J. Cannell, it was determined that a population of patients in a hospital that were on a vitamin D supplement were the only persons that avoided an influenza breakout within the hospital.

Secondly, consider the "flu season". Dr. R. Edgar Hope-Simpson was the first to document the mysterious "flu season". Dr. Hope-Simpson theorized that it was "seasonal factor" and may have more to do with the human immune system than the virus. "[In conclusion] a "seasonal factor" [is] at work, something that [is] regularly and predictably impairing human immunity in the winter and restoring it in the summer."

We get vitamin D from sunlight, specifically UVB rays. In the winter months, we stay indoors more and the UVB rays are blocked by clouds. Therefore we receive less of the sunlight that inspires vitamin D production. This is also the time of year that has been labeled the "flu season".

In reality, the influenza virus is alive and well year round. It is our body's natural defense during the summer months that protect us from that virus. According to Dr. Miller's article, "a light skinned person will synthesize 20,000 IU of vitamin D in 20 minutes sunbathing on a tropical beach, at which point vitamin D synthesis shuts down for the day (it takes a dark-skinned person 6-10 times longer to make this amount).

We were designed to create vitamin D this way. Food contains very little vitamin D. The federal government has created regulations that mandate certain foods be fortified with vitamin D, such as milk. Problem is, the USDA's recommended daily allowance of vitamin D is only 400 IU.

The alternative to sunbathing in either a tanning bed or the natural sun is a vitamin D supplement. My personal research indicates that an individual can take a supplement up to 10,000 IU every day. An individual would need to consume 40,000 IU or more for a long period of time before the first signs of vitamin D toxicity began to manifest.

There have also been clinical trials (Med J Aust 2005) that suggest an annual shot of 600,000 IU of vitamin D would be even more effective at preventing the flu than a flu shot.

In conclusion, it seems very logical to me that taking a daily vitamin D supplement could significantly reduce your chances of getting the flu, perhaps even more significant that the flu shot itself. Vitamin D and the deficiency of it directly effects your immune system, so it seems reasonable to believe there is a direct correlation to the time of year we are typically deficient and the flu season.

Disclaimer

I am not a medical doctor. This article is for informational purposes. I have done the majority of my research online and have come to a personal conclusion regarding vitamin D and the flu shot. Please do your own research and speak to your own doctor before making any decisions regarding supplemental vitamin D.