%0 Journal Article
%T Optimal methods of vitamin D supplementation to prevent acute respiratory infections: a systematic review, dose-response and pairwise meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
%A Wang CH
%A Porta L
%A Yang TK
%A Wang YH
%A Wu TH
%A Qian F
%A Han YY
%A Sheng WH
%A Chen SC
%A Lee CC
%A Chang SC
%J Nutr J
%V 23
%N 1
%D 2024 Aug 14
%M 39143549
%F 4.344
%R 10.1186/s12937-024-00990-w
%X <B>BACKGROUND: </B>Vitamin D supplementation may prevent acute respiratory infections (ARIs). This study aimed to identify the optimal methods of vitamin D supplementation.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science, and the ClinicalTrials.gov registry were searched from database inception through July 13, 2023. Randomized-controlled trials (RCTs) were included. Data were pooled using random-effects model. The primary outcome was the proportion of participants with one or more ARIs.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>The analysis included 43 RCTs with 49320 participants. Forty RCTs were considered to be at low risk for bias. The main pairwise meta-analysis indicated there were no significant preventive effects of vitamin D supplementation against ARIs (risk ratio [RR]: 0.99, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.97 to 1.01, I2 = 49.6%). The subgroup dose-response meta-analysis indicated that the optimal vitamin D supplementation doses ranged between 400-1200 IU/day for both summer-sparing and winter-dominant subgroups. The subgroup pairwise meta-analysis also revealed significant preventive effects of vitamin D supplementation in subgroups of daily dosing (RR: 0.92, 95% CI: 0.85 to 0.99, I2 = 55.7%, number needed to treat [NNT]: 36), trials duration < 4 months (RR: 0.81, 95% CI: 0.67 to 0.97, I2 = 48.8%, NNT: 16), summer-sparing seasons (RR: 0.85, 95% CI: 0.74 to 0.98, I2 = 55.8%, NNT: 26), and winter-dominant seasons (RR: 0.79, 95% CI: 0.71 to 0.89, I2 = 9.7%, NNT: 10).<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>Vitamin D supplementation may slightly prevent ARIs when taken daily at doses between 400 and 1200 IU/d during spring, autumn, or winter, which should be further examined in future clinical trials.