COVID-19 and Vitamin D Deficiency: What’s the Connection?
An increasing number of studies are drawing
a correlation between Covid-19 and a vitamin D deficiency, some of
which suggest that people deficient in the vitamin constitute as much as
80% of coronavirus patients. What does this connection really mean?
Will taking vitamin D supplements help lower your chances of catching
Covid-19? Find the answer to these and other questions below.
What Does the Research Say?
Several studies have found a correlation between Covid-19 and low levels
of vitamin D. It all started in 2017, years before the pandemic even
began when one study published in the BMJ suggested that taking a
vitamin D supplement could potentially be useful at preventing acute
respiratory tract infections. The study looked at 11,000 participants
and established that the vitamin is safe and effective at preventing
respiratory infections in those deficient in the vitamin.
But why Vitamin D? It turns out that vitamin D is necessary for
maintaining immune health and improving the body’s ability to fight off
infectious disease. The lack of a Covid-19 vaccine and the need to find
alternative preventative treatments during the Coronavirus pandemic
urged researchers to look deeper into Vitamin D’s potential to prevent
or decrease the severity of Covid-19 infections.
Subsequently, some researchers have
observed that respiratory failure is more common in patients with
vitamin D deficiency. These patients had a much higher mortality risk
than patients with sufficient vitamin D levels. In September 2020, a
large study that looked at data from COVID-19 test results and vitamin D
level testing revealed that only 8.1% of 27,870 people with sufficient
vitamin D levels had COVID-19 compared to 12.5% of positive results from
39,190 participants with low vitamin D levels. Furthermore, a study
published recently in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology &
Metabolism found that 82.2% of the Covid-19 patients were deficient in
vitamin D
Lastly, a randomized study attempted to given a high dose of a type of
vitamin D (calcifediol) to 50 people hospitalized with COVID-19. As a
result, only 1 of the 50 patients required treatment in the intensive
care unit. The control group consisted of 26 people and they didn’t take
the vitamin D supplement. In contrast to those who took vitamin D, 13
control participants were transferred to the intensive care unit.
However, there is also a similar study in which high doses of vitamin D
were administered to severe coronavirus patients, and it didn’t find a
quicker recovery or a change in mortality rates, so the effectiveness of
vitamin D as a treatment of Covid-19 is still under question and
requires further research.
To sum up, there is a number of studies suggesting that vitamin D
deficiency may play a role in Covid-19 infection rates and the severity
of the infection.
How Commons Are Vitamin D Deficiencies?
Vitamin D deficiencies are surprisingly common, with some research even
suggesting that they are a serious global health concern that affects as
many as 1 billion people worldwide. About 41% of Americans are
deficient in vitamin D, for example. Also known as the "sunshine
vitamin", vitamin D is mostly produced in the skin from the sun, which
makes it difficult to get in Northern latitudes, especially in the
winter months. Those who spend a lot of time indoors can likewise have
lower levels of vitamin D for the same reason - an inadequate exposure
to the sun.
food sources of vitamin D
food sources of vitamin DOther populations susceptible to vitamin D
deficiencies are seniors, as vitamin D production in the skin decreases
with age. People with darker skin tones are also more likely to suffer
from vitamin D deficiencies because melanin, a skin pigment more common
in people of color, prevents some UVB rays from reaching the deeper
layers of the skin.
It's no secret of these groups, as well as people who suffer from
underlying conditions, who also tend to go outside and get less sun,
have been disproportionately affected by Covid-19, which only further
supports the potential link between low vitamin D and the Coronavirus.
To learn more about the symptoms of vitamin D deficiencies, read our
previous article titled These Symptoms Could Mean You Are Lacking in
Vitamin D.
Can a Vitamin D Supplement Help Prevent Covid-19?
At this time, researchers don't suggest taking vitamin D as a
preventative treatment for Covid-19 to everyone, but those who are
deficient should absolutely consider supplementation. “Vitamin D
treatment should be recommended in COVID-19 patients with low levels of
vitamin D circulating in the blood since this approach might have
beneficial effects in both the musculoskeletal and the immune system,”
stated José L. Hernández, Ph.D., the author of one of the studies we've
mentioned above. If you're not sure if you get enough vitamin D,
consider talking to your doctor about taking a blood test.
Lastly, it's important to point out Vitamin D plays a huge role in many
processes in our body, no only immune health. It also helps keep our
teeth and bones strong and healthy, for example, and keeps us full of
energy and in a good mood. Therefore, getting enough of the vitamin is
crucial, especially if you are more likely to suffer from a deficiency
or know for a fact that you have a vitamin D deficiency. You can get
some vitamin D from foods, such as eggs, fish, spinach, and dairy, but
you can also consider taking a supplement to ensure you're getting
enough vitamin D every day.