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New York, September 26 (IANS): New research adds to the growing body of evidence that patients with sufficient levels of vitamin D are less likely to experience complications and die from Covid-19.
According to the study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, hospitalized Covid-19 patients who had enough vitamin D, with a blood level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D of at least 30 ng / ml (a measure of vitamin D status ) had a decreased risk of adverse clinical outcomes and death.
In addition, they had lower blood levels of an inflammatory marker (C-reactive protein) and higher levels of lymphocytes (a type of immune cell that helps fight infection). “This study provides direct evidence that vitamin D sufficiency can reduce complications, including cytokine storm (releasing too many proteins into the blood too quickly) and ultimately death from Covid-19, “said study author Michael F. Holick of Boston University in United States.
For the findings, a blood sample was taken to measure vitamin D status (measured serum level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D) from 235 patients admitted to the hospital with Covid-19.
These patients were followed to determine clinical outcomes, including clinical severity of infection, loss of consciousness, shortness of breath leading to hypoxia (low oxygen level), and death.
The blood was also tested for an inflammatory marker (C-reactive protein) and the number of lymphocytes. The researchers then compared all of these parameters in patients who were vitamin D deficient with those who had enough vitamin D.
In patients over 40 years of age, they found that patients who had enough vitamin D were 51.5% less likely to die from infection compared to patients who were vitamin D deficient.
Holic believes that having enough vitamin D helps fight the consequences of infection not only with the coronavirus but also with other viruses that cause upper respiratory diseases, including influenza.
“There is great concern that the combination of influenza infection and a coronal viral infection could substantially increase hospitalizations and deaths due to complications from these viral infections,” Holick noted.
Earlier this month, another study published in the JAMA Network Open magazine revealed that vitamin D deficiency can increase the risk of contracting a new coronavirus.
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