Vitamin D Over Amoxicillin?

Can a simple supplement such as vitamin D do wonders for your health? According to some new research published in the Lancet Infectious Diseases site, it can help you steer clear of antibiotics. Two studies in the Lancet looking at respiratory tract infections give credence to Vitamin D over amoxicillin. The first study found that for patients where pneumonia is not suspected, "amoxicillin provides little benefit for acute lower-respiratory-tract infection in primary care both overall and in patients aged 60 years or more, and causes slight harms."

The second study divided a group of adults into two groups: those that took Vitamin D3 (4000 IU) every day for a year and those that were given a placebo. "The overall (respiratory tract) infectious score was significantly reduced for patients allocated to the vitamin D group compared with the placebo group."

These results, when taken together, provide an interesting picture of the potential health through nutrition rather than drugs. Make sure to talk to your doctor about the right way to take supplements and whether or not you need to start taking a vitamin D supplement to improve your overall health.