Higher vitamin A levels are associated with improved lung function in both children and adults with asthma, according to a new study in Thorax. Researchers found significant links between elevated vitamin A and better FEV1 and FVC scores across two large asthma cohorts. Vitamin D also showed benefits in adults, including slower biological aging.
A new study published in Thorax found that higher plasma vitamin A levels were significantly associated with better lung function — specifically FEV1 and forced vital capacity (FVC) — in both children and adults with asthma. Researchers analyzed data from over 1,100 children and 1,000 adults across two asthma cohorts, making it one of the more comprehensive looks at how vitamins A and D influence respiratory health at the molecular level.
While vitamin D's benefits for asthma have been well-established, the strong positive link between vitamin A and lung health in both age groups was an unexpected highlight. In adults, vitamin D also showed a significant association with better lung function and, notably, slower epigenetic aging — meaning adults with sufficient vitamin D levels showed lower biological age acceleration across six different measures.
The study also identified specific DNA regulators — including microRNAs and DNA methylation changes — that appear to partially mediate how these vitamins affect lung health and aging.
Key Takeaways:
Why it matters: These findings suggest that vitamin A — often overlooked compared to vitamin D in respiratory health — may be an important, modifiable factor in asthma management across the lifespan, opening doors for future nutritional and epigenetic research.
