Since Vitamin D is important for calcium balance and for bone health, it is used to help prevent osteoporosis. There is interest in using Vitamin D to prevent and treat cardiovascular disease, as Vitamin D inhibits inflammation from compounds such as TNF-alpha and interleukins. Vitamin D might also decrease cardiac and vascular damage through suppression of the rennin gene and suppression of parathyroid hormone. People with higher Vitamin D levels also seem to have greater lung function compared to people with lower levels. Therefore, Vitamin D might improve lung function by decreasing inflammation in the airway.