Pneumonia is a leading cause of hospitalization and death, and the challenge gets bigger as you get older. New research suggests that many of those deaths can be prevented by just getting enough vitamin D.
Community-acquired pneumonia can be caused by bacteria, viruses and fungi. The leading bacterial causes are S pneumoniae and H influenzae. Some of the leading viral causes are rhinovirus, influenza and COVID.
It is a very common concern that increases with age. Pneumonia is the eighth leading cause of death in the world and the leading cause of infectious causes of death.
Previous research has shown that vitamin D deficiency increases the risk of community-acquired pneumonia. It has also been associated with a higher risk of being hospitalized, greater severity, greater risk of ICU admission, length of hospital stay and death.
This well-designed study put the latter to the test, examining whether sufficient levels of vitamin D could protect people hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia from dying.
514 people were included in the study. The average age was 74. The 90 day mortality rate was 15.7%, and the 180 day mortality rate was 19.1%.
People in the study were considered to have sufficient levels of vitamin D if they were 50 nmol/L or greater, insufficient if they were 25-49 nmol/L, and deficient if they were below 25 nmol/L.
Remarkably, compared to people with sufficient levels of vitamin D, those with a vitamin D deficiency were a significant 3.5 times more likely to die within 90 days and a significant 3.27 times more likely to die within 180.
This study suggests the exciting possibility that maintaining healthy levels of vitamin D can significantly protect people from dying from pneumonia.
Open Forum Infectious Diseases. December 2025;12(12):ofaf706.