Is there a connection between Vitamin D deficiencies and Hepatitis B?

Vitamin D is important for many bodily functions. In US, however, many people have a vitamin D deficiency. Now researchers have shown that this may contribute to the spread of hepatitis B virus in the liver.

Vitamin D supports the immune system, and is already occupied by a number of studies. Now researchers have found that Vitamin D plays a role in the development of a hepatitis B disease. They showed that in patients who suffered from hepatitis B, the number of viruses in the blood was higher, the contents of vitamin D levels.

For the study, the research team choose 203 patients with chronic hepatitis B who had received no treatment for their infection. In this case, the vitamin D serum concentration (25-hydroxyvitamin D) was measured at the patient. It turned out that 37 percent of patients has a pronounced vitamin D deficiency and 47 percent had chronic hepatitis B. And only 19 percent has a normal vitamin D levels (more than 20 ng / ml).

High viral load with low vitamin D levels.

In further studies, the researchers found that a high concentration of hepatitis B virus in the blood was associated with low vitamin D levels. A causal relationship seems to be found, since both parameters
Course of a year counter developed: Increased the vitamin D serum concentration due to the influence of sunlight in the summer and consequently dropped the concentration of HBV and vice versa.

“Our results support a causal link between vitamin D deficiency and a high concentration of hepatitis B virus in the blood ” said research team. This realization opens up new possibilities for the treatment of viral disease. “In further studies, we are currently investigating how vitamin D can be used specifically for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B,” says researchers.

Hepatitis B is a virus-induced liver inflammation caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and one of the most common infectious diseases in general. Are transmitted pathogens through blood or other body fluids. More than half of all HPV infections in US nowadays go back through the sexual contacts. The disease is often acute, but sometimes chronic. Then as a consequence develop cirrhosis and even liver cancer. The treatment of chronic hepatitis B is difficult; therefore a preventive vaccination is the most important measure for preventing infection and reducing the number of virus carriers.