These days, it seems as if you can’t read about health news without coming across some article promoting the benefits of vitamin D. In fact, with all the recent news coverage, you might think that the list of healthful qualities is endless. Well, now there seems to be one more benefit to add to that list. A recent study has found that consumption of the “sunshine vitamin” lowered the risk of children suffering from the influenza infection (flu) by as much as one half.

In fact, only one in ten children (ages 6 to 15 years) who took vitamin D actually contracted the flu, compared to the control group (placebo), where one in five children came down with the flu. The data suggests that vitamin D had more of a protective effect than even vaccines in preventing the flu, though it only seemed to work against influenza type A, and not type B.

In the study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, doctors followed 354 children who took part in the clinical trial, which took place during the winter months when flu season is in full swing. The children in the test group were given 1200 IUs (international units) of vitamin D for three months.

During the first month, researchers saw no difference between the test group and the control group in terms of becoming sick. However, during the second month, when vitamin D levels in the blood would presumably be higher, there was a significant difference between the two groups.

Interestingly, vitamin D was even more effective at reducing the risk of flu infection than the anti-viral drugs zanamivir and oseltamivir. The implications are potentially huge, because vitamin D is not only produced naturally by our bodies, it does not have the toxic side effects that drugs and medication have, and it is more economical, especially on a large public health scale.

The recent findings add to the growing number of health benefits tied to vitamin D, which is also believed to protect our bones from fractures, as well as reduce our risk for heart disease, cancer and diabetes. It has also been suggested that vitamin D improves athletic performance, productivity, and helps alleviate depression.

Unfortunately, most people do not get enough of the nutrient, even though our bodies produce it whenever we go out into the sun. The reason for this shortage may be due to the increased use of sunscreen, as well as the longer amounts of time that we spend indoors at our jobs, working on computers, or watching TV.

Seasonal flu is a highly contagious respiratory infection that affects nearly everyone, especially children, who constantly come in contact with each other. Caused by the influenza virus, its symptoms can range from mild to severe, and can even lead to death.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), anywhere between 5% to 20% of the population of this country gets the flu, and on average, more than 200,000 people are admitted to the hospital for flu-related complications, and nearly 36,000 die from them. High risk groups include the elderly, people who are immuno-compromised, and young children.

If you are concerned about the flu and its impact on your family, speak with your pediatrician regarding your options. For more information about the flu, visit the website for the CDC. To learn more about vitamin D, visit the website for the Vitamin D Council.