First study to link food allergies to low vitamin D

Epidemiological evidence has shown that pediatric food allergy is more prevalent in regions further from the equator, suggesting that vitamin D insufficiency may play a role in this disease.

In a Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology study, researchers examined 577 infants (344 with challenge-proven food allergy, 74 sensitized but tolerant to food challenge, 159 negative on skin prick test and food challenge). Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels were measured.

Infants with vitamin D insufficiency ( less than 50 nmol/L) were more likely to be peanut and/or egg allergic than were those with adequate vitamin D levels independent of eczema status. Iinfants with vitamin D insufficiency were also more likely to have multiple food allergies rather than a single food allergy.

These results provide the first direct evidence that vitamin D sufficiency may be an important protective factor for food allergy in the first year of life.