Higher levels of circulating vitamin A are linked to better lung function in children and adults with asthma, while vitamin D shows similar benefits in adults, including slower biological ageing, finds the first study of its kind, published online in the respiratory journal Thorax.
Poor lung function is a key predictor of death, irrespective of whether or not a person has lung disease. And making sure that the lungs keep working well is essential for staving off long term respiratory conditions, explain the researchers.
The findings showed that children and adults with asthma and higher vitamin A levels had better lung function (FEV1 and FVC) than those with lower levels. And among adults with asthma, those with higher vitamin D levels of at least 30 ng/ml had better lung function than those with lower levels. They also had less evidence of epigenetic ageing, suggesting that vitamin D may help slow biological ageing, particularly in people with asthma, say the researchers.
“These findings emphasise the value of adequate vitamin D, not only for lung health but also in slowing age-related processes,” they write.
Visit: https://thorax.bmj.com/content/early/2026/06/25/thorax-2025-223756