Vitamin D activates a gene in certain human immune cells that helps fight off germs, and this happens because vitamin D directly attaches to a specific spot on the gene to turn it on.

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Pro

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Against

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

20

Community contributions welcome

20

Human cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide (CAMP) gene is a direct target of the vitamin D receptor and is strongly up‐regulated in myeloid cells by 1,25‐dihydroxyvitamin D3

Cross-Sectional Study

Human & Animal & In Vitro

2005 Jul

This study shows that a form of vitamin D turns on a human gene that helps fight germs, and it does so in immune cells exactly as claimed — by attaching to a specific spot on the gene’s DNA.

Contradicting (0)

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Community contributions welcome

No contradicting evidence found

Gold Standard Evidence Needed

According to GRADE and EBM methodology, here is what ideal scientific evidence would look like to definitively prove or disprove this specific claim, ordered from strongest to weakest evidence.

Source Study

Human cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide (CAMP) gene is a direct target of the vitamin D receptor and is strongly up‐regulated in myeloid cells by 1,25‐dihydroxyvitamin D3

Score: 20

DOI: 10.1096/fj.04-3284com

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Humans and other primates have a special genetic switch that lets vitamin D boost their immune system, but mice, rats, and dogs don’t have this switch—so vitamin D works differently in them.

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Vitamin D and vitamin A work together like a team to help your body calm down inflammation and fight off germs better than either one could alone.

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