The study,  published online in the Public Library of Science journal PLOS ONE, found raising levels of vitamin D in the blood markedly impacts genes linked to the development of cancer, cardiovascular disease, infectious diseases, and autoimmune diseases.
 

Michael F. Holick, M.D., a Boston University professor of medicine, noted previous studies have shown that vitamin D deficiency is associated with an increased risk for many of these diseases, but the new research goes goes a step further and provide direct evidence that boosting the “sunshine vitamin” plays a big role in improving immunity and lowering the risk for many conditions.

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"This study reveals the molecular fingerprints that help explain the non-skeletal health benefits of vitamin D," said Dr.  Holick, a leading vitamin D expert. "While a larger study is necessary to confirm our observations, the data demonstrates that improving vitamin D status can have a dramatic effect on gene expression in our immune cells and may help explain the role of vitamin D in reducing the risk for [cardiovascular disease], cancer and other diseases."
 

For the study, Holick and colleagues evaluated the health benefits of giving vitamin D supplements to  eight healthy men and women, who were vitamin deficient at the start of the trial. The results showed the supplements lead to health-boosting changes in the activity of 291 genes linked to cancer, autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, and heart conditions.