Many people know the benefits proper levels of vitamins and minerals in the body may offer.
However, people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other chronic lung diseases may benefit from vitamins to a greater degree than other people.
In fact, our health care team at Lung Institute can tell you there are 2 vitamins that may help promote the repair of tissue in the lungs.
2 Vitamins That May Help Repair Lung Tissue
Ideally, the best treatment for chronic lung disease is to avoid its causes, especially smoking.
However, smoking remains the number one cause of chronic lung conditions like COPD.
Smoking is so likely to cause chronic lung disease because it causes severe oxidative damage to the lungs.
If you already have COPD or another chronic lung condition, though, there are 2 vitamins that may help promote the repair of lung tissue.
The first is vitamin C.
Vitamin C is vital to many of your body’s processes, but there’s one trait it has that makes it potentially helpful for chronic lung disease patients: it’s an antioxidant.
With many chronic lung conditions, lung damage and inflammation is caused by free radicals and toxins introduced by smoking and other sources.
Vitamin C has properties that allow it to fight back against free radicals and toxins and helps your body flush out these potentially damaging molecules.
By helping your body remove toxins and free radicals, vitamin C may lower lung tissue damage rates and give your body an opportunity to repair these tissues.
It’s also water-soluble, which means it’s unlikely to build up to toxic levels in your body. Vitamin A is a second vitamin that may be helpful for chronic lung disease patients.
This vitamin is critical to the functioning of your immune system. It’s also a vital player in the ability of your cells to grow and differentiate, which means to become different types of cells as they grow.
Thanks to these properties, getting enough vitamin A in your diet through foods or supplements may help your body initiate its natural repair process in the lungs.
While vitamin A can be helpful, it’s also fat-soluble, which means it can build up in your body and become toxic.
Prolonged overdosing on vitamin A can even lead to liver and bone issues.
Therefore, it’s critical that you speak to your doctor or dietitian before beginning a vitamin A supplement.
Christine Kingsley, APRN is the Health and Wellness Director at the Lung Institute where she focuses on providing helpful online resources for people looking for information on various lung diseases, breathing exercises, and healthy lifestyle choices. She advocates for holistic care that involves working with your doctor to explore all options including traditional and alternative care while focusing on diet and exercise as proactive measures.
