Got COPD? Ask your doctor about Vitamin D

COPD research has shown that vitamin D may improve lung function, in addition to its many other known capabilities. Robin Miller, MD, talks about who should take a vitamin D supplement and how much is appropriate.

Transcript

00:00

Vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin, is some amazing stuff. It helps boost immunity, fight inflammation,

00:06

and build strong bones. It may even help people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, more commonly known as COPD.

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[MUSIC PLAYING]

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Hi. I'm Dr. Miller. One study found that taking a vitamin D supplement along with a pulmonary rehab program helped boost exercise capacity

00:29

and lung function in COPD patients. That's important because physical inactivity

00:36

raises your risk of hospitalization with COPD. Now, in this study, volunteers took a relatively high dose

00:43

of vitamin D, more than 3,000 international units a day. I recommend 1,000 international units per day

00:50

and 1,200 for folks over 60. Check with your doctor to find out how much vitamin D you need.

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A simple blood test can reveal whether you're deficient in D. [MUSIC PLAYING]

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You can get your vitamin D from the sun and supplements. You can also get it from some foods, including salmon, vitamin D-fortified milk, orange juice,

01:12

and eggs. Vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin, is some amazing stuff. It helps boost immunity, fight inflammation,

01:19

and build strong bones. It may even help people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder. I'm Dr. Miller.