Nutrition Medicine……food and/or supplements as medicine
Vitamin D3 & Ig antibodies
“Heavy training is associated with increased respiratory infection risk and antimicrobial proteins are important in defense against oral and respiratory tract infections. We examined the effect of 14 weeks of vitamin D3 supplementation (5000 IU/day) on the resting plasma cathelicidin concentration and the salivary secretion rates of secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA), cathelicidin, lactoferrin and lysozyme in athletes during a winter training period.”
“Blood and saliva were obtained at the start of the study from 39 healthy men who were randomly allocated to vitamin D3 supplement or placebo. Blood samples were also collected at the end of the study; saliva samples were collected after 7 and 14 weeks.”
“Only in the vitamin D3 group, the saliva immunoglobulin A and cathelicidin secretion rates increased over time. A daily 5000 IU vitamin D3 supplement has a beneficial effect in up-regulating the expression of immunoglobulin A and cathelicidin in athletes during a winter training period….”
C.S. Hea, et al
The effect of 14 weeks of vitamin D3 supplementation on antimicrobial peptides and proteins in athletes
Journal of Sports Sciences…..Volume 34 #1….January 2016