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Vitamin D shown to protect bones in mice

Vitamin D protects bone loss in mice exposed to agricultural dust.  That’s according to a new study recently released by UNMC.

Dr. Jill Poole, associate professor in the UNMC Department of Internal Medicine, was the principal investigator on the study. 

Poole says she’s had a long-standing interest in the effects of Vitamin D, as well as agricultural-induced lung disease, and how that affects the rest of the body. 

In her most recent study, mice were given a Vitamin D supplement in their food.  Some were given a high dose and others were given a low dose.

All the mice were treated with inhaled dust from the swine confinement facilities. 

Poole said results indicated that the high Vitamin D supplemented animals were protected against bone loss induced by the lung inflammation from inhaling the dust.

"Besides having respiratory disease, they might be at risk of having a bone loss.  And maybe something as easy as taking a supplemental Vitamin D could protect their bones in the long run.  So I think they need to be aware that this is an inflammatory environment and if they are having some respiratory problems it could be affecting their whole body health not just their lung system.”

Poole said she and her team also found that Vitamin D has a slight effect on reducing inflammation in the lungs of mice. 

She believes studies in humans are needed to see if Vitamin D supplementation could improve health outcomes for agricultural workers.