In the last few days, I receivedfrom doctors in medecine some interesting articles highlighting the close correlation between the level of Vitamin D and the severity of Covid-19 in patients all around the world. So I got curious and did some research.
So let me share with you my findings and
attempt to convince you to protect yourself with Vitamin D supplements now that we are all confined AND that winter is coming!
- Firstly, you have to know that;
Vitamin D needs UV rays to be synthesized, so you'll have more risk of being low in vitamin D if you:
- stay inside a lot (confinement)
- use sun screen when going out (Australians slip slop slap)
- in winter (which is coming)…
I think we can agree that we are all at risk in regards to those 3 points. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamin-d-deficiency-symptoms
- Secondly, let's highlight the harmfull consequences of being low in Vitamin D:
"Low vitamin D levels can lead to osteoporosis and increase your risk of falls and fractures (broken bones) if you are over 50."
“A number of diseases have been linked to low vitamin D levels such as increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease, cognitive impairment in older adults, severe asthma in children and cancer. Research suggests that vitamin D could play a role in the prevention and treatment of a number of different conditions, including type1 and type 2 diabetes, hypertension, glucose intolerance and multiple sclerosis.”
Therefore it is even more important for older adults to have enough Vitamin D.
- Thirdly, the relation between vitamin D and immunity has been discovered and multiple times proven. Those are extracts from scientific studies can attest of it.
"Deficiency in vitamin D is associated with increased autoimmunity as well as an increased susceptibility to infection. "
2012 Aug 1 by Cynthia Aranow, MD
"In vivo data from animals and from human vitamin D supplementation studies have shown beneficial effects of vitamin D on immune function, in particular in the context of autoimmunity."
2013 Jul 5 by Barbara Prietl 1, Gerlies Treiber, Thomas R Pieber, Karin Amrein
- Finally some specific studies have reveiled the link between Vitamin D and response to the coronavirus, and they are showing a significative correlation between concentration of Vitamin D and mortality from the coronavirus.
“When controlling for age, sex, and comorbidity, Vitamin D status is strongly associated with COVID-19 mortality outcome of cases.”
Patterns of COVID-19 Mortality and Vitamin D: An Indonesian Study
“We believe, that we can advise Vitamin D supplementation to protect against SARS-CoV2 infection.”
The role of Vitamin D in the prevention of Coronavirus Disease 2019 infection and mortality
Also, a recent study is showing that "MMR Vaccine Appears to Confer Strong Protection from COVID-19: Few Deaths from SARS-CoV-2 in Highly Vaccinated Populations"
So, now that we understand why we should care about having enough Vitamin D, let’s see how to get it from!
Where do we find the vitamin D3 in nature?
Very few foods in nature contain vitamin D. The flesh of fatty fish (such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel) and fish liver oils are among the best sources. Smaller amounts of vitamin D are found in beef liver, cheese, and egg yolks.
If you chose to supplement, how much vitamin D do you need?
"The amount of daily vitamin D recommended for peope aged 1 to 71yo and older is 20 mcg (800 IU) in micrograms (mcg) and International Units (IU)"
And which type of vitamin D is the best?
"For vitamin D supplementation, vitamin D3, (the natural form of vitamin D), is preferred over vitamin D2, because vitamin D3 is most effective in maintaining adequate levels of vitamin D in the human body."
Is it dangerous to take too much vitamin D?
Although 4,000 IU (250 mcg) is set as the maximum amount of vitamin D you can take safely, several studies have shown that taking up to 10,000 IU (250 mcg) daily won’t cause side effects.
So here you have it.
Personnaly, I went to the pharmacy and am now taking some supplements...
Don't hesitate to share with your family, friends and even your doctor!
I hope that this article was helpful and I invite you to stay safe!
I also recommend you to watch this video from Doctor Mike Hansen who has put his research on the relation Vit D & COVID19 on Youtube.