Can Vitamin A Help With My CPOD?

Although a growing body of literature supports the fact that cigarette smoking is the top risk factor associated with developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), it is not the sole cause. In fact, scientists are still perplexed as to how exactly “cigarette smoke and other inhaled irritants can trigger the development of COPD.”

One theory is that smoking cigarettes may “deplete the body of vitamin A,” a nutrient that builds and repairs lung tissue. If lungs lack adequate amounts of vitamin A, it can lead to the development of lung infections or chronic diseases of the lungs.

“The connection between vitamin A and the lungs starts from the very beginning, while we're developing in utero and continues well into adulthood,” said Dr. Antonello Punturieri, program director for COPD at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. "The lungs are still developing until age 25 or 30. This is why teen smoking is so bad. Having an adequate vitamin A intake throughout this developmental period is critical to developing and maintaining strong, healthy lungs.”

A study published in the journal Molecular Aspects of Medicine revealed that moderate vitamin A deficiency can significantly enhance the occurrence of respiratory tract-related diseases. In addition to vitamin A’s involvement in lung function, it is also critical to the development of various tissues and cells, and embryonic lung growth.

Another study published in the New England Journal of Medicine revealed that pregnant women who took vitamin A supplements throughout their pregnancy “had children with better lung health when the researchers followed up 9 to 13 years later.”

Researchers in Holland published a study in the Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology focusing on laboratory mice bred to have reduced levels of vitamin A. After exposing the mice to cigarette smoke, it was discovered that they developed emphysema in a total of three months. The study could signify a potential correlation between cigarette smoke, reduced levels of vitamin A and the development of chronic lung diseases. Ultimately, this could signify the ability to reverse or cure lung damage caused by COPD.

Although various studies and evidence exists, scientists must still preform additional studies to determine if the intake of vitamin A can truly reduce COPD symptoms and its progression.

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