Myth-buster
A meta-analysis of 677 people found vitamin D failed to significantly reduce tuberculosis infection risk — the odds ratio was 0.95, a null result with a confidence interval spanning from a 21% reduction to a 14% increase.
This is one of the first systematic looks at vitamin D for TB prevention, and its clear null finding contests the idea that supplementation meaningfully protects against infection — but because the body of evidence is still small, the picture is far from settled.
Across five randomized trials covering 677 participants, vitamin D supplementation did not significantly lower the risk of tuberculosis infection compared to placebo. The same analysis also found no effect on progression to active TB. While vitamin D was safe and well tolerated in these studies, the results suggest it should not be relied upon for TB prevention based on current evidence.
Where this fits in the evidence
This is among the first studies we've indexed on Vitamin D for Reduced Tuberculosis Infection — treat it as an early signal until more research accumulates.
The study
Vitamin D supplementation for tuberculosis prevention: A meta-analysis.
- Meta-Analysis
- n = 677
- 2025-07-02
- Biomolecules & biomedicine
- PubMed: 40613553
- DOI: 10.17305/bb.2025.12527
- Full study breakdown →
This is a plain-language summary of a research finding, not medical advice. Pillser surfaces research signals to help you decide what's worth investigating — always consult a qualified professional before changing what you take.