A large study combining data from over 12,000 surgical patients found that people with low vitamin D levels were more likely to develop infections at their surgical sites. Researchers looked at eight different studies and discovered that vitamin D deficiency appears to increase the risk of these post-surgery infections. While this doesn’t prove that taking vitamin D supplements will prevent infections, it suggests that having healthy vitamin D levels might help your body fight off germs after an operation. More research is needed to know if vitamin D supplements could actually reduce infection risk.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether people with low vitamin D levels are more likely to get infections at their surgical sites after operations
  • Who participated: Over 12,700 adult patients who had surgery, studied across eight different research projects
  • Key finding: People with vitamin D deficiency had a higher chance of developing infections where they had surgery
  • What it means for you: Having healthy vitamin D levels might help protect against infections after surgery, but we need more research to know if supplements actually help

The Research Details

This was a meta-analysis, which means researchers combined results from eight separate studies that all looked at the same question. They searched through major medical databases to find every quality study that examined whether vitamin D levels affect surgical site infections. Each study followed patients after their surgeries to see who developed infections and compared this to their vitamin D blood levels. The researchers used advanced statistical methods to combine all the data and look for patterns across the different studies.

Meta-analyses are powerful because they combine many studies together, giving us a much larger group of patients to learn from than any single study could provide. This approach helps researchers spot patterns that might not be obvious in smaller individual studies.

The researchers used established tools to check the quality of each study they included and looked for signs that some studies might be missing from their analysis. They found the overall quality of evidence was reasonable, though not perfect.

What the Results Show

The main finding was that patients with vitamin D deficiency had a significantly higher risk of developing surgical site infections compared to those with normal vitamin D levels. This pattern held true across the different studies, even though they looked at different types of surgeries and patients. The researchers found that the association was particularly strong when they used specific vitamin D blood level cutoffs to define deficiency. The statistical analysis showed this wasn’t likely due to chance, suggesting a real connection between low vitamin D and infection risk.

The studies showed fairly consistent results, meaning most of the individual research projects found similar patterns. The researchers didn’t find strong evidence that the results were skewed by missing studies or publication bias, which strengthens confidence in the findings.

This analysis builds on previous research suggesting that vitamin D plays a role in immune function and fighting infections. The findings align with other studies showing vitamin D deficiency is linked to various health problems, including increased susceptibility to infections.

The studies only showed an association, not proof that low vitamin D directly causes more infections. Other factors that weren’t measured might explain the connection. The studies also used different ways to measure vitamin D deficiency, and most patients weren’t randomly assigned to have different vitamin D levels, which limits what we can conclude about cause and effect.

The Bottom Line

Consider having your vitamin D level checked, especially if you’re planning surgery. If you’re deficient, talk to your doctor about whether vitamin D supplements might be appropriate. However, don’t assume supplements will definitely prevent surgical infections - more research is needed to prove this.

People scheduled for surgery, especially those at higher risk for vitamin D deficiency such as older adults, people with limited sun exposure, or those with darker skin living in northern climates. Healthcare providers should also consider this when preparing patients for surgery.

If you need to improve your vitamin D levels, it typically takes several weeks to months of supplementation to see meaningful changes in blood levels, so this isn’t a quick fix right before surgery.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track your vitamin D blood test results and note the specific number (measured in ng/mL or nmol/L) rather than just ’normal’ or ’low’
  • Log daily vitamin D supplement intake if recommended by your doctor, and track sun exposure time during appropriate hours
  • Set reminders to recheck vitamin D levels every 3-6 months if you’re supplementing, and track any correlation with illness frequency or wound healing after minor injuries

This information is for educational purposes only and should not replace professional medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider before making changes to your vitamin D supplementation, especially before surgery. Individual results may vary, and vitamin D supplementation may not be appropriate for everyone.