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The government should immediately change the recommendations for vitamin D supplements as a matter of urgency urging all adults to take them during the coronavirus pandemic, according to scientists at Trinity College Dublin.
This follows evidence highlighting the association between vitamin D levels and Covid-19 mortality produced by Dr. Eamon Laird and Professor Rose Anne Kenny, who lead the Irish Longitudinal Study on Aging.
They analyzed European adult population studies completed since 1999 that measured vitamin D and compared vitamin D and Covid-19 mortality rates.
The fundamental role of vitamin D in fighting viral infections is known, but it can also “support the immune system through a series of immune pathways” involved in fighting Covid-19, they conclude in a study published in the Irish Medical Journal.
The correlation is so strong that taking vitamin D should be recommended immediately, Professor Kenny said. This was because vitamin D deficiency was common among people at risk for Covid-19 (particularly older people); There was no toxic risk from taking it at the recommended dose level, and from the growing evidence of benefits.
Last week, scientists at Northwestern University in the US USA They found that people with severe vitamin D deficiency were twice as likely to experience complications with Covid-19.
If the change of advice led to an avalanche of products for sale in stores, “it is not a reason not to take it. . . This is not the time to walk around, “he added.
“While there are currently no results from randomized controlled trials to conclusively demonstrate that vitamin D beneficially affects Covid-19 results, there is strong circumstantial evidence for associations between vitamin D and severity of Covid-19 responses. , including death. “
Daily sun
In England, Scotland and Wales, public health agencies have revised the recommendations since the Covid-19 outbreak to say that all adults should take at least 400 IU (international units) of vitamin D a day.
Professor Kenny said that most scientists would recommend between 800 and 1,000 IU (she takes the highest dose) and recommended that older people be exposed to 10 to 15 minutes of sun a day, if possible.
Vitamin D is produced in the skin by exposure to UVB sunlight. It is transformed into an active hormone that keeps the skeleton strong and free of osteoporosis. It’s also contained in many foods, such as fish and fatty cheese, while most people make sure they have adequate amounts through a combination of sunlight and a healthy diet.
Controversially, the President of the United States, Donald Trump, suggested removing the virus with sunlight or UV light, but this was not related to the connection of vitamin D to stimulate the immune system.
In response to the study, a Health Department spokeswoman said the National Public Health Emergency Team, which advises the Government on Covid-19, “keeps all national and international tests and advice under continuous review as the basis for any recommendation.”
Cytokine storms
The TCD data, produced in collaboration with Professor Jon Rhodes of the University of Liverpool, suggests that they are likely to reduce serious complications from Covid-19. “This may be because vitamin D is important in the regulation and suppression of the inflammatory response of cytokines, causing the serious consequences of Covid-19 and the” acute respiratory distress syndrome “associated with ventilation and death, “Professor Kenny explained.
Cytokine storms appear to kill most Covid-19 patients, and not destroy the lungs by the virus itself.
This study shows, counterintuitively, that countries with lower latitudes and typically sunny countries, such as Spain and northern Italy, had low vitamin D concentrations and high deficiency rates. These countries also experienced the highest Covid infection and mortality rates in Europe.
Northern latitude countries (Norway, Finland and Sweden) have higher levels of vitamin D despite less exposure to UVB sunlight, because supplementation and fortification of food is more common. These countries have lower rates of Covid infection and mortality.
Vitamin D deficiency is common in Ireland and is more prevalent with age, obesity, in men, in ethnic minorities, in people with diabetes, hypertension, and in nursing homes.
Dr. Laird said: “Optimizing vitamin D intake for public health guidelines will certainly have overall health benefits and support immune function. Research like this is still exploratory and we need more trials to have concrete evidence on the level of vitamin D that is needed for optimal immune function.
“Supplementation is the best way to guarantee sufficient levels of vitamin D in the blood. As the effects of the coronavirus continue, many of us are limited in the time we can spend outdoors, so extra care is required to keep vitamin D levels healthy. ”
