San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
Vitamin D supplement helps with asthma control
Q: I have had mild to moderate asthma most of my life. Although doctors have recommended a daily corticosteroid, I chose to treat it as needed with an albuterol inhaler/nebulizer (mostly when I had colds).
About five years ago, my doctor noted that my vitamin D levels were low and suggested a supplement of up to 4,000 IUs per day. I began noticing that my lungs were clearer and suspected that vitamin D had an antiinflammatory effect. Sure enough, when I ran out and stopped taking it for a few weeks, my asthma symptoms got worse. When I’ve told my doctors about this experience, they always seem surprised, but it works for me.
A: When patients with asthma have low levels of vitamin D, supplementation can improve lung function (Thorax, April 2019). A small study of Japanese schoolchildren concluded: “Low-dose, short-term vitamin D supplementation in addition to standard treatment
may improve levels of asthma control in schoolchildren” (Allergy, July 2016).
To learn more about the benefits and appropriate dose of vitamin D supplements, you may wish to consult our “eGuide to Vitamin D and Optimal Health.” This online resource can be found under the Health eGuides tab at Peoples Pharmacy.com.
Q: A long time ago, I heard a short piece on hiccups and a cure on NPR. All
I remember is that there’s some scientific evidence linking nerves in the roof of the mouth to the trigger for hiccups. The main point was you could use the back of a spoon to put moderate, consistent pressure on the soft palate to relieve hiccups.
It does work, at least for me. I have never again heard or seen this cure written up. Did I dream it?
A: You didn’t dream it. Thanks for pointing us to a delightful interview Scott Simon
conducted with Dr. Beatrice Golomb on NPR in 2004. In it, she describes a variety of ways people stimulate the nerves in the roof of the mouth, including the spoon approach you mention. (She suggests a cold spoon might be most effective.)
Q: Ripe elderberries are absolutely delicious. I’ve made great syrups and jellies with them. You can even make elderberry pancakes and waffles ( just make sure the fruit is ripe). I don’t know if elderberries can help fend off cold viruses, but they sure are tasty.
I see them growing all over, especially near railroad tracks. It’s easy to make cuttings and grow new bushes from them.
A: You are quite right that elderberries are yummy and also that they must be ripe. Leaves, twigs and unripe berries contain toxins that can cause nausea, vomiting or diarrhea. Cooking can reduce or eliminate the toxin. Some people are more sensitive than others to these compounds.
You have probably collected your cuttings and fruit from American elderberry (Sambucus canadensis). Most of the research has been done on European elderberry (Sambucus nigra). Water-based extracts of these elderberries apparently modulate the immune system and may help fight off viral infections (International Journal of Molecular Sciences, April 1, 2022). Elderberries are a rich source of anthocyanins. They have become much more popular over the last several years, probably because of their immune-enhancing effects (Molecules, March 31, 2023).