Drug company Sanofi-Aventis (SNY) Friday expanded its reach in the consumer drugs market to China, with the creation of a vitamin and mineral supplements joint venture with Minsheng Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.

The French company is one of many drug companies vying for a share in over-the-counter markets as patents expire, allowing generic drugs cut in to traditional sources of revenue.

Sanofi-Aventis gained a foothold in the U.S. consumer drugs market in December with the $1.9 billion acquisition of Chattem Inc. (CHTT), maker of consumer products such as Selsun Blue shampoo and Gold Bond lotions.

Sanofi-Aventis did not provide financial details of the Chinese plan, but said it would have a majority equity stake in the new venture with Minsheng, which owns the multivitamin brand 21 Super-Vita.

Sanofi estimates the Chinese over-the-counter market was worth EUR7 billion in 2008 and will grow at double-digit rates over the next five years.

“Combined with our leadership position in vaccines, we will continue to contribute to preventative healthcare in China,” said Hanspeter Spek, President of Sanofi-Aventis’ Global Operations.

“Entering the world’s second largest consumer healthcare market is also a strategic move for Sanofi-Aventis to consolidate its position in consumer healthcare,” he added.

Sanofi has three manufacturing sites in China.

Via Wallstreet

Proposed new measures that aim to make a distinction between drugs and food products that look like drugs still leave a “grey area”, according to makers and retailers of complementary medicines.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), together with Food Standards Australia and New Zealand, is currently undertaking a legislative review which aims to stamp out confusion caused by certain food products being sold in tablet, pill or capsule form while not having any therapeutic value.

The so-called Section 7 Declaration to the Therapeutic Goods Act will only allow goods sold in this form to be medicinal in nature.

However, in a submission to the TGA on the proposed measure released last week, the Complementary Healthcare Council of Australia (CHC) claimed the amendment would not address the problem.

“Under the proposal, products could still be sold on the market in a powder or liquid form therefore any concerns around consumer public health and safety would not necessarily be addressed,” the CHC submission stated.

The council claimed basing the restrictions around “dosing” criteria was “inappropriate” and should also take in labelling and advertising, calling for more enhanced regulation of the food industry.

“The CHC also points out that this proposal will have a significant impact financially on many companies within the complementary health care industry, which will potentially reduce consumer.

Via pharmacynews

New research finds that an increase in brain magnesium improves learning and memory in young and old rats. The study, published in the January 28th issue of the journal Neuron, suggests that increasing magnesium intake may be a valid strategy to enhance cognitive abilities and supports speculation that inadequate levels of magnesium impair cognitive function, leading to faster deterioration of memory in aging humans.

Diet can have a significant impact on cognitive capacity. Identification of dietary factors which have a positive influence on synapses, the sites of communication between neurons, might help to enhance learning and memory and prevent their decline with age and disease. Professor Guosong Liu, Director of the Center for Learning and Memory at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China, led a study examining whether increased levels of one such dietary supplement, magnesium, boosts brain power.

“Magnesium is essential for the proper functioning of many tissues in the body, including the brain and, in an earlier study, we demonstrated that magnesium promoted synaptic plasticity in cultured brain cells,” explains Dr. Liu. “Therefore it was tempting to take our studies a step further and investigate whether an increase in brain magnesium levels enhanced cognitive function in animals.”
Because it is difficult to boost brain magnesium levels with traditional oral supplements, Dr. Liu and colleagues developed a new magnesium compound, magnesium-L-threonate (MgT) that could significantly increase magnesium in the brain via dietary supplementation. They used MgT to increase magnesium in rats of different ages and then looked for behavioral and cellular changes associated with memory.

“We found that increased brain magnesium enhanced many different forms of learning and memory in both young and aged rats,” says Dr. Liu. A close examination of cellular changes associated with memory revealed an increase in the number of functional synapses, activation of key signaling molecules and an enhancement of short- and long-term synaptic processes that are crucial for learning and memory.

The authors note that the control rats in this study had a normal diet which is widely accepted to contain a sufficient amount of magnesium, and that the observed effects were due to elevation of magnesium to levels higher than provided by a normal diet.

“Our findings suggest that elevating brain magnesium content via increasing magnesium intake might be a useful new strategy to enhance cognitive abilities,” explains Dr. Liu. “Moreover, half the population of industrialized countries has a magnesium deficit, which increases with aging. This may very well contribute to age-dependent memory decline; increasing magnesium intake might prevent or reduce such decline.”

Via Sciencedaily

Sales of alternative medicines are booming as consumers shake off their cynicism.
Analysts say the market has grown by 18 per cent in two years and is worth £213million a year.

And they predict sales will increase by 33 per cent to £282million over the next four years as more patients reject prescription drugs in favour of natural remedies.
Even relatively unknown treatments such as ayurveda – the Indian holistic system of diet, yoga, massage and herbs – are picking up in popularity.

Analysts Mintel said the rise can be explained by growing official acceptance of many treatments such as acupuncture, which is available on the NHS.

A rise in the number of patients diagnosed with depression and stress has also led to more people exploring holistic approaches in favour of potentially addictive prescription drugs.

Around 1.5million Britons bought St John’s Wort last year, predominantly for depression.

Via Dailymail

There seems to be no end to the benefits of fish oils. Not only are they said to boost heart, brain and joint health, but they also prevent cancer, eye disease and bone problems.

Last week, a new study suggested they could assist the body against premature ageing. But how do you separate the facts from the hype? PETA BEE asked the experts…

WHAT’S SO SPECIAL ABOUT FISH OILS?
Fish oils are a type of polyunsaturated fat – a ‘healthy’ fat. Unlike saturated animal fats, they don’t raise your cholesterol levels, but are known to have a positive effect on health.

Polyunsaturated fats are divided into two groups of what are called Essential Fatty Acids (or EFAs) – omega-3 and omega-6.

Both omegas are essential in helping to regulate blood clotting, body temperature, blood pressure and the immune system; they are also needed to make prostaglandins, important hormone-like chemicals in the body. The only way we can get them is through our diet.

Omega-3 has particular benefits, producing vital substances such as DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), thought to play a key role in the development of brain and cognitive function, and EPA ( eicosapentaenoic acid), vital for brain health.
The richest source of omega-3s are fish oils – salmon, mackerel, fresh tuna and herring.

While most Britons consume more than enough omega-6 oils (found in most edible oils, but particularly sunflower and corn, as well as meat), they are deficient in omega-3.

WILL THEY PROTECT MY HEART?
There have been a number of studies suggesting fish oils boost heart health, but the most compelling evidence was a study last year published in the Journal Of The American College Of Cardiology.

Led by Dr Carl Lavie, of the Ochsner Cardiology Clinic in Louisiana, the study showed omega-3 oils help to prevent blood clotting and regulate or lower blood pressure.
The strongest heart-protective effect is for patients with established cardiovascular disease, the study found.

‘This isn’t just hype – we now have tremendous and compelling evidence from very large studies, some dating back 20 and 30 years,’ Dr Lavie said.

Under guidelines issued by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), doctors are encouraged to prescribe supplements to patients after they have had a heart attack to prevent repeat attacks.

WHAT ABOUT MY BRAIN?
There has been great interest in the fish oil effect on the brain – both in preventing disease and boosting brain power.

Studies have shown, for instance, that DHA can reduce the formation of plaques in the brain; these have been linked to Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Too little omega-3 has been linked to mild depression, and there is some evidence that fish oils may help here.

DHA has been shown to boost foetal brain development.

However, parents who feed their children fish oil supplements before exams might be wasting their money, as the evidence for fish oils boosting intelligence and exam performance is tenuous.

WHAT ELSE CAN THEY DO?
Eating oily fish once a week has been shown to protect against age-related macular degeneration, the most common cause of blindness in the older generation.
They might also be helpful in the fight against some forms of cancer.

Last year, Professor John Witte, from the University of California, suggested a high intake of omega-3s reduced men’s risk of prostate cancer by about 60 per cent. There is some evidence, too, that a regular consumption of omega-3s can help prevent bowel cancer.

WILL THEY HELP ME LOOK YOUNGER?

Last week researchers from the University of California suggested omega-3s – whether from supplements or fish – helped cells in the body live longer. When they studied heart disease patients, they found the more omega-3 the subjects ate, the slower the damage to the DNA in their cells.

That, in turn, meant better protection against inflammation and the ageing process.
So will fish oils help you live longer – and look younger?

Heather Yuregir, a researcher at the British Nutrition Foundation, says it’s possible, although more evidence is needed to confirm the anti-ageing effect.

‘The study found fish oils may protect against ageing, which does indicate another possible benefit of consuming such oils in the diet.

‘But it must be remembered that it is only one study; the claims need to be strengthened.’

SHOULD I TAKE FISH OIL PILLS?
The best food supply of omega-3s is oily fish such as salmon, tuna, mackerel and herring. Other sources include rapeseed, evening primrose and walnut oils, fresh seeds such as pumpkin and sunflower, wholemeal bread and wholegrain cereals. However, they provide omega-3s in a different chemical form which is more difficult for the body to convert into DHA and EPA, so it would be difficult to consume enough.
In Britain, there are no recommended daily levels for fish oils, although the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF) say eating two portions (140g each) a week of fish, including one of oily fish, will meet most people’s needs – providing around 250mg of omega-3s. (Note, canned tuna does not count, as the processing reduces its omega-3 levels to those similar to white fish).
However, a team of doctors reporting in the Journal Of The American College Of Cardiology last year suggested there is now ‘compelling evidence’ for the benefits of fish oils and recommended people try to consume 500mg of omega-3 fish oil a day,
while those with heart disease or heart failure take at least 800 to 1000mg in their diet.
Many experts think it is better to eat fish to provide the oil, as this ensures you also get other important nutrients and protein, and the suggestion by some researchers to take supplements instead remains controversial.

‘UK guidelines suggest adults get their omega-3 intake from fish and there is no recommendation to take supplements as well,’ says Bridget Benelam, of the BNF.

Indeed, although NICE now recommends those who’ve had a heart attack take a supplement, eating more oily fish is preferable, explains June Davison, a senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation.

The charity recommends anyone who has suffered a heart attack eats two to three portions of oily fish a week over taking a capsule.

‘For most people with or without heart disease, supplements are not generally suggested as a daily requirement,’ says Davison.

However, last week a survey of more than 3,000 British consumers by NutraSea found 40per cent of people never cook fish. Getting your omega-3 from other sources is preferable to getting none, says Dr Rafe Bundy, nutrition lecturer at Glasgow University.

WHAT ABOUT COD LIVER OIL?
Cod liver oil does contain some DHA and EPA, but not as much as the oily fish – but there are other reasons to consider it.

It’s a good source of vitamin D, and experts are increasingly concerned that in Britain our levels of this vitamin are low (the main source is the sun).

Vitamin D deficiency is now being linked to a range of conditions, including diabetes. The vitamin is also important to prevent the bone disease rickets, which has made a comeback.

Last week, the British Medical Journal revealed that spending too much time indoors, combined with poor diets, has led to a drop in vitamin D levels among children – and a rise in rickets.

The fact that children are no longer being given a daily slug of cod liver oil is also thought to be contributing to the problem.

Via DailyMail

The European Medicines Agency suspended the licence of Reductil, used by obese patients to aid weight loss.

The move comes after Australia’s regulator proposed extra precautions to doctors in updated product information about Reductil circulated last month by manufacturer Abbott Laboratories, as reported by The Sunday Telegraph last week.

The letter warned sibutramine, marketed as Reductil, must not be prescribed to patients with a history of cardiovascular disease and/or inadequately controlled hypertension.

It also warned the drug should be discontinued in patients who don’t respond adequately within three months or who experience elevations in blood pressure.

The TGA said last week the product was not restricted or being withdrawn in Australia.

But yesterday a TGA spokeswoman said it was aware of the European decision and its review of the safety of the drug was ongoing A spokeswoman said: “The TGA is currently examining the EMA recommendation to determine if further regulatory action is warranted.”

Safety concerns were raised after the Sibutramine Cardiovascular OUTcome Trial or SCOUT study released late last year that found an increased risk of heart attack. Doctors said they were concerned about the drug and the study’s findings because many obese patients had undiagnosed cardiovascular disease.

GP and Australian Medical Association federal vice-president Dr Steve Hambleton said doctors expected the TGA to look at the drug urgently and advise whether practitioners should continue to prescribe it.

He said: “If the overseas agencies have taken this step then the AMA would be keen for Australia to have a very close look at this product to see which group of people it can be safely used in, and if that’s none then we should hear about it as quickly as possible.

“I would be much more anxious and unlikely to start anybody on it until I had further advice from the experts.”

Reductil’s manufacturer, Abbott, said discussions with the TGA about the product’s safety were continuing.

Royal Australian College of GPs president Dr Chris Mitchell added: “[Being] overweight is clearly a risk factor for heart disease so there may well be a large number of people with undiagnosed heart disease who are in the risk groups and may be on those medications.

“GPs need to be quite vigilant about that … I would urge caution.”

Since Reductil became available in Australia, the TGA has received almost 200 reports of adverse reactions and it has been linked to the death of a 19-year-old.

And if Reductil is subject to a ban, the only other weight loss drugs to be sold here would be Duromine – which doctors prescribe reluctantly – and the over-the-counter medication Xenical.

Against the background of growing health consciousness among consumers, the demand for foods that support and enhance health is continuing on an upward trajectory. This is evident from the growing uptake of natural and safe alternatives such as functional foods and beverages and dietary supplements, all of which form an integral part of the nutraceuticals space. Consumers are displaying a preference for convenience food with palpable benefits.

Responding to this trend, the food industry has been working toward offering healthy products, fortified with nutrients to confer potential health benefits that go beyond the purview of simple nutrition. Steadily these products are emerging in the mainstream, although sales results have not been as high as many expected for a number of reasons such as consumer skepticism and ineffective marketing.
New analysis from market researchers Frost & Sullivan, Nutraceuticals–Global Developments in Dietary Supplements, has found, however, that, with the growing awareness among all age groups about healthy living, the consumers’ perspective of maintaining a healthy lifestyle is undergoing a radical change, triggering a shift toward alternative and safe methods such as the use of nutraceutical products.
“Significant volumes of scientific studies have proven that nutraceuticals may be beneficial in preventing the onset of chronic disease conditions including diabetes, cardiovascular disease conditions, and obesity,” notes Technical Insights Research Analyst Bhavatharini Rajesh. “A higher awareness level of the prevention of various disease conditions is the key driver for companies in the nutraceutical space to develop natural products enriched with vitamins, minerals, proteins, fibres and more.”

Rising healthcare costs are also helping to bolster growth in the nutraceuticals space. Both the ageing population and younger generation are resorting to these preventive measures instead of spending large amounts on conventional treatment.
“Although the prospects for the market look upbeat, regulatory challenges have slowed market momentum,” Rajesh noted. “Manufacturers in this space have to contend with stringent standards imposed by the various regulatory bodies that oversee the safety and efficacy of nutraceutical products.”

To obtain regulatory clearance from the authorities, manufacturers must ensure that their product complies with the standards set by the regulatory board. Therefore, companies must provide adequate scientific proof to confirm that the product is safe for consumption and offers significant health benefits.

Participants in this space have to walk the tightrope, communicating the advantages of their products while conforming to the dictates of the scientific and regulatory bodies, the report concluded.

Via AFN

Hemorrhoids are also known as piles, and they are the inflamed condition of the veins within or on the outside of the rectum. This condition can cause the sufferer a lot of pain and discomfort.

Although there are many things that can cause this condition, the most common causes are constipation, a low fiber diet, lifting heavy objects, and pregnancy. Herbal remedies for hemorrhoids is an effective way to get some relief from the pain and discomfort without side effects or surgical procedures. Just because your piles condition is not severe enough to get surgery doesn’t mean you have to leave it untreated and suffer through the discomfort. Some people turn to over the counter chemical creams available, but you need to be under supervision due to the possible side effects and allergies.

When you use natural herbs to treat piles you won’t have to worry about side effects. This is why many people turn to herbal remedies.

One of the best herbal remedies is witch hazel. The blood vessels causing the hemorrhoid to shrink and contract can be treated using the properties of witch hazel. To use this herb as a treatment you can take a cotton ball and soak it in the witch hazel and then apply it to the affected area to get instant relief.

Other effective herbal remedies for hemorrhoids include aloe vera, horse chestnut, butcher’s broom, and lupin. All of these herbs are known to relieve the pain and discomfort of hemorrhoids very fast.

Although many people use these herbs for getting instant relief, this form of treatment can slowly, naturally, and safely cure your piles for good. Herbal remedies for hemorrhoids will also stop the bleeding, itching, burning, and swelling associated with this condition.

Australia’s food safety authority is for the first time recommending women take extra iodine supplements when they are pregnant and while breastfeeding.

Iodine deficiency during pregnancy can affect a baby’s brain development and cause learning difficulties and hearing loss.

Researchers say that more than half of all pregnant women aren’t consuming enough iodine in their diet.

Jennifer Macey reports.

JENNIFER MACEY: Iodine occurs naturally in milk, eggs, seafood, some vegetables and iodised salt.

But recent studies show that a many pregnant women and children aren’t getting enough iodine in their diet.

CRESWELL EASTMAN: This is common in Australia, it is highly prevalent and more than 50 per cent of our pregnant population are iodine deficient.

JENNIFER MACEY: Professor Creswell Eastman is an endocrinologist at the University of Sydney and medical advisor to the Thyroid Foundation.

CRESWELL EASTMAN: If the woman doesn’t get enough iodine during pregnancy, her thyroid gland cannot make enough thyroid hormones and as a result the foetus, the growing baby will suffer consequences from that thyroid hormone deficiency.

Now, the most important consequences are the effects on the brain, so there’d be loss of IQ, loss of learning ability, mild degrees of deafness, and other neurological problems. Those problems are often subtle, particularly when the deficiency is mild, but they’re irreversible.

JENNIFER MACEY: Last year the food regulator stipulated that all bread include folic acid to prevent neural tube defects.

Bakers were also required to use iodised salt.

But now Food Standards Australia New Zealand has gone a step further. In their latest pregnancy advice, FSANZ recommends women take iodine supplements.

Professor Eastman welcomes the move.

CRESWELL EASTMAN: I have been recommending for at least five years that we have a public health policy that all women, pregnant women and breast-feeding women are given this recommendation to take an extra 150 micrograms of iodine everyday in their diet because if they don’t take this supplement, they are more than half the pregnant women in this country will be iodine deficient and that is a very, very serious public health problem.

JENNIFER MACEY: The President of the Australian Thyroid Foundation, Beverly Garside, says it’s impossible for pregnant or breastfeeding women to get enough iodine from food alone.

BEVERLY GARSIDE: There is no possible way a pregnant woman or a breast-feeding woman could get 250 micrograms a day because there isn’t that amount. They’d have to eat a loaf of bread a day, or they’d have to have an enormous amount of salt and nobody will recommend that a woman have an increase in salt.

JENNIFER MACEY: The WHO says that Iodine deficiency is the world’s most prevalent, yet preventable, cause of brain damage.

BEVERLY GARSIDE: And our message has been for the last four years, get smart, protect your baby’s brain. And that’s been directed at pregnant women and breast-feeding women to ensure that they’re becoming aware, that they do need to have iodine in their diet and take a supplement.

And with the body it doesn’t store iodine so you have to have it on a daily basis.

JENNIFER MACEY: There are now specific pregnancy multivitamins that include extra iodine, but some don’t.

Professor Creswell Eastman advises women to read the labels carefully or consult their pharmacist.

BRENDAN TREMBATH: Jennifer Macey with that report

Via ABC

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has released a statement saying there have been no restrictions placed on a popular weight loss drug in Australia.

The statement follows media reports which incorrectly said the TGA had warned doctors not to prescribe the drug because of safety concerns.

The TGA says there are no restrictions on prescribing the drug and instead it had sent letters to doctors advising them of additional information available about the drug.

Jennifer Stevenson from Abbott, the company that manufactures Reductil, has reinforced TGA’s statement.

In 2009 a clinical trial found some patients using Reductil showed higher rates of heart attack and stroke.

Following the trial, Ms Stevenson says Abbott, in consultation with the TGA, distributed information to doctors.

“The letter sent to GPs made them aware of added information on the SCOUT study and reinforced already-existing information in the product information stating that Reductil was not intended or recommended for use in patients with cardiovascular disease and inadequately controlled hypertension,” she said.

“As stated in the TGA statement online, prescribing of Reductil has not been restricted and it has not been withdrawn from the market.”

Via ABC

According to a study published in the British Medical Journal, those with the highest levels of the vitamin were at 40 per cent lower risk of developing the disease compared with those with the lowest levels.

Scientists looked at vitamin D quantities in 1,248 people with bowel cancer and 1,248 controls in the largest ever study of the subject.

The research was carried out by scientists at the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in Lyon, France, and Imperial College London, and was funded by World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF).

It comes after medical experts expressed concern yesterday about the rising number of cases of rickets – caused by vitamin D deficiency – and called for it to be added to milk and other food products.

The main source of vitamin D is sunlight, through skin exposure, but it is also present in a small number of foods, such as oily fish or cod liver oil.

According to the research team, although the latest study provides evidence of a link between vitamin D and bowel cancer it does not prove that taking vitamin D supplements prevents the disease.

More studies are needed to find out the potential impact on other cancers and the effects of taking extra vitamin D doses, scientists said.

Dr Panagiota Mitrou, science programme manager for WCRF, said: ”This is the biggest ever study on this subject and there is now quite a lot of evidence from studying populations that people who have low levels of vitamin D are more likely to develop bowel cancer.

”The next step is to carry out new clinical trials to try to confirm whether vitamin D supplementation can reduce the risk of bowel cancer and whether there are any harmful effects of higher levels of vitamin D.

”Looking at the figures in this latest study, it suggests that increasing the UK’s vitamin D intake by 10% could prevent 7% of cases.

”And when you think that there are about 37,500 cases diagnosed in the UK every year, that could have a big impact.

”But we need to emphasise that, for the moment, the findings need to be treated with caution and they are certainly not enough evidence to suggest that we should be taking supplements to increase levels of vitamin D.

”The best advice for reducing risk of bowel cancer remains to stop smoking, maintain a healthy weight, be regularly physically active, to eat more fibre and less red and processed meats and to cut down on alcohol.”

Dr Mazda Jenab, the lead author of the study from the International Agency for Research on Cancer, said: ”Our results support a role for vitamin D in the etiology of colorectal cancer, but this has to be balanced with caution regarding the potential toxic effects of too much vitamin D and the fact that very little is known about the association of vitamin D with either increased or reduced risk of other cancers.”

Via Telegraph

AFTER the economic woes of last year it seems unlikely, but many Australian healthcare companies did remarkably well. What’s more, the sector expects to see in the new decade with continued growth. The secret: good planning and strategic management.

Blackmores introduced 38 new products in a six-month period, including a new children’s range. The company earned $20.8m for the year.

“Although the natural health industry has continued to enjoy strong growth for some years, two years ago Blackmores was growing slower than the market,” says Christine Holgate, who took over as chief executive in late 2008. “In some ways the downturn helped us reverse that,” she claims, crediting the firm’s good reputation with the public and pharmacists for the upswing.

“We keep a close eye on the exchange rate, but we have a natural hedge as many of our supply ingredients come from overseas,” Holgate says.

“Our view is that an economic downturn is no time to retreat from the market. It is a time to look for new opportunities and to invest in innovation. It pays to have built up cash reserves in good times so you can stay on course.”

Vitamin D supplementation should be considered for patients with asthma because deficiency is associated with steroid resistance, impaired lung function and airway hyper-responsiveness, US researchers say.

In a study of 74 asthmatic patients, researchers found there was a significant and deleterious relationship between reduced serum vitamin D levels and the lung function markers of asthma severity, impairment and prognosis.

Writing in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine (online 14 Jan) the researchers from the University of Colorado say their findings confirm previous observations of a sub-set of asthma patients who respond less well to corticosteroid treatment. Vitamin D is involved with steroid signaling pathways and deficiency has previously been shown to be linked to increased steroid requirements in asthma, they note.

In their study they also found that reduced vitamin D levels were associated with increased expression of inflammatory cytokines, which would explain the poor lung function in deficient patients.

“These observations suggest that evaluation of serum vitamin D concentrations should be considered in adult patients with asthma [that] respond suboptimally to inhaled corticosteroid, and they raise the underlying possibility that vitamin D supplementation could result in improvement of these phenotypic variables in the subset of asthmatics who are vitamin D deficient,” they say.

The study authors say the association between vitamin D and steroid response and lung function was strongest in steroid untreated patients, “suggesting that vitamin D supplementation could further enhance [steroid] response.”