Vitamin D and the Cure for the Common Cold

In the United States, an estimated 1 billion upper respiratory tract infections and colds occur annually.¹ Acute respiratory tract infections account for 10% of the 1.3 billion annual ambulatory and emergency department visits in the United States.² Patients seeking medical care for acute respiratory tract infections have decrements in health-related quality of life that are similar in magnitude to those of patients with chronic lung disease, osteoarthritis, and depression.³ For these reasons, an effective preventive measure or cure for the common cold would reduce medical costs and improve quality of life.