Vitamin D has been determined to be a vital factor in speeding up the rate that tuberculosis (TB) bacteria is cleared from the lungs of people suffering from multi-drug resistant TB. This is vital because cases of drug-resistant TB are increasing all around the world. This is primarily because people are gaining a resistance for the antibiotics used to treat TB. A recent study has explored the concept of treating TB with a combination of antibiotics and vitamin D.
The study held by Queen Mary University of London, chose to test a cocktail of TB drug treatment and vitamin D supplements with the idea, that the drugs can be made more effective by boosting the immune system. This makes TB treatment more affordable and more powerful, which is very important as TB drugs are not only increasingly less effective but are notoriously expensive.
Vitamin D Boosts the Immune System
Vitamins and minerals have long been considered to be effective immune system boosters. Typically, we look to vitamin C to provide us with immune system boosting properties, but vitamin D also plays a considerable roll in immune system health. Vitamin D, fondly known as the ‘sunshine vitamin’, is normally looked to improve bone health, protect against flu, colds, and asthma attacks.
Vitamin D Rich Foods
If you are planning on treating your TB by using vitamin D, it is recommended that you take a supplement provided by your doctor. But there is no harm in adjusting your diet to make sure you get more vitamin D. Some of the best vitamin rich foods come from animal products:
- Fatty fish – salmon, tuna, mackerel
- Vitamin D fortified foods
- Beef liver
- Cheese
- Egg Yolks
Ultimately, vitamin D isn’t enough to cure TB on its own, but it is enough to make medicine more effective.
