Researchers Investigating Possible Link Between Vitamin D Deficiency and COVID-19
Researchers investigating possible link between vitamin D deficiency and COVID-19
For months, many of us have stayed home on the advice of health experts, quarantining indoors to help slow the spread of the coronavirus. Now some researchers are investigating the possibility that spending a little more time in the sun could actually help prevent COVID-19.
That’s because sunshine is a key ingredient for our bodies to make vitamin D.
After seeing a correlation between severe COVID-19 patients and vitamin D deficiency, the researchers hypothesized that the vitamin, absorbed through sunlight by the skin, could play a role in helping the body’s immune system fight the novel coronavirus. (See link for article)
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**Comment**
I posted on this back in April and considered it common sense, but I’m discovering common sense isn’t so common. https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/04/09/you-are-safer-outside-than-inside-disease-expert-criticizes-restrictions/
The article discusses a study of nearly 500 patients and found those with vitamin D deficiencies were nearly twice as likely to test positive for COVID. I’m not impressed with these findings because the tests are abysmal and not to be trusted.. Plus, testing positive means nothing as you may never even develop symptoms.
What’s important is the correlation between COVID severity and vitamin D deficiency.
This review https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/apt.15777 found:
“When mortality per million is plotted against latitude, it can be seen that all countries that lie below 35 degrees North have relatively low mortality. Thirty‐five degrees North also happens to be the latitude above which people do not receive sufficient sunlight to retain adequate vitamin D levels during winter. This suggests a possible role for vitamin D in determining outcomes from COVID‐19 …
What is helpful in the article is that it reminds the reader that we make less vitamin D as we age and those with darker skin tones (higher melanin content) block UV rays which are required to make vitamin D. This may explain COVID severity in the black population and why it’s imperative to know your vitamin D levels and to either get sun or supplement. For those of us in the North, we can’t achieve the amount of sunlight necessary for most of the year and supplementation is required for us to have appropriate vitamin D levels. Make sure you test before you supplement.
The article goes on to mention a study that showed the following percentages are at risk of low vitamin D
- 21% of whites
- 42% of hispanics
- 73% of blacks
Interestingly, they state the higher rate of vitamin D deficiency in overweight people is due to the fact D is dissolved in fat and isn’t getting into the blood stream. Another reason to keep your ideal weight.
I will add that not only is sunlight invaluable and the only way to increase vitamin D levels naturally, fresh air (oxygen) unimpeded by masks is also healthy..
Similarly to the attack on HCQ, ‘authorities’ are also coming down on vitamin D: https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/07/02/experts-criticize-government-review-of-vitamin-d-for-covid-19/
Here’s another example of misinformation: https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2020/06/08/cnn-coronavirus-vitamin-d Within this link Dr. Mercola highly advises you get your vitamin D levels optimal before fall and the seasonal flu.
That’s not to say there aren’t things to know. Since Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin, it’s important to check your levels at least yearly. For a great read on D and everything you need to know: https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/03/12/the-importance-of-vitamin-d-k-and-magnesium-for-lyme-msids-patients/
