Mold allergy is a nuisance to everyone affected by it, but it can be dangerous for individuals with asthma or cystic fibrosis. That is why any news of successful therapeutic approaches is bound to attract attention.

A study, which is soon to be published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, has found that vitamin D may be able to prevent or even treat allergy symptoms triggered by Aspergillus fumigatus, or common mold.

In the study, the scientists analyzed Th2 cells that help the body develop an allergic reaction, including to A. fumigatus. They then discovered that allergic individuals with increased Th2 reactivity had lower average levels of vitamin D, compared to the control group of healthy participants.

Dr. Jay Kolls, professor and chair of genetics at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans, explained that the researchers found that the vitamin not only helped lower the levels of the allergy-driving protein, but also boosted the production of proteins that increased the body’s resistance to this type of allergy.

“Our study provides further evidence that vitamin D appears to be broadly associated with human health,” he emphasized.