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SINGAPORE – Multiple studies suggest that having adequate amounts of vitamin D can help people avoid or fight coronavirus, although the jury is still out on whether or why the results are conclusive.
Commonly known as the “sunshine vitamin,” vitamin D, which is known for its immune-boosting function, is produced primarily in the skin when exposed to ultraviolet B rays from the sun. It can also be obtained from other sources such as eggs, liver, and oily fish.
At least one study abroad has associated vitamin D deficiency with an increased risk of Covid-19.
Published in the medical journal JAMA Network Open on Sept. 3, the study looked at 489 patients from the University of Chicago Medicine health system, about a third of whom were vitamin D deficient.
Vitamin D-deficient patients who did not receive treatment were 1.77 times more likely to test positive for Covid-19 than those who did not.
The study also noted that other research had found that Covid-19 was less prevalent in groups that had lower rates of vitamin D deficiency.
Lockdowns and other measures to reduce the spread of Covid-19 could also decrease sun exposure, the researchers noted.
They added: “The low costs of vitamin D and its general safety … support the case for supplementation at the population level, perhaps to target groups at high risk of vitamin D deficiency and / or Covid-19. “.
Researchers from the University of Cambridge and Queen Mary University of London made a similar call in the medical journal The Lancet on August 3.
Citing several other studies on the topic, as well as vitamin D’s ability to protect against other acute respiratory infections, the researchers called for more trials to investigate whether the vitamin could help reduce the severity of Covid-19.
They also suggested increasing efforts to ensure members of the public have enough vitamin D.
“There is a possibility that (such efforts) will also reduce the impact of Covid-19 in populations where vitamin D deficiency is prevalent; there is nothing to lose from its implementation and potentially much to gain,” they wrote.
Closer to home, another study looked at 43 Covid-19 patients aged 50 and over at Singapore General Hospital.
Published in the scientific journal Nutrition last week, it found that treating these patients with a combination of vitamin D, magnesium, and vitamin B12 was associated with a “significant reduction” in the number of those who required oxygen support or admission to a intensive treatment. watch out.
While the experts here acknowledged the legitimacy of such studies, they called for caution and said more research is required.
Dr. Ben Ng, an endocrinologist at the Arden Endocrinology Specialist Clinic at Mount Elizabeth Novena Specialist Center, said current data may appear to support the role of vitamin D in fighting coronavirus, but “robust clinical data” is needed. , given the novelty the disease is.
He also noted that the pandemic will likely have caused people here to have reduced levels of vitamin D, given the reduction in outdoor activities.
“Considering that it will benefit musculoskeletal health and may help with the overall risk of Covid-19, I encourage all patients who may be at risk for vitamin D deficiency to consider taking a vitamin D replacement,” he said, adding that a daily dose of 400-1,000 units is “extremely safe and unlikely to cause harm.”
Infectious disease expert Leong Hoe Nam, also from Mount Elizabeth Novena, agreed.
“We don’t fully understand the reasons why vitamin D could work against Covid-19, but since it is harmless if taken within the recommended dose, it is very cheap and can be obtained for free through the sun or easily. oral supplements, it makes sense to promote their intake in those who are deficient in vitamin D, “he said.
Dr. Gail Cross, a consultant in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the National University Hospital, took a more conservative stance.
“In the scientific community, the statistical significance observed in these studies is taken with a grain of salt. If anything, the most that these types of studies give us is evidence to analyze conducting a prospective study to examine the question of how affects vitamin D Covid-19 … We all have to wait for more and better quality of evidence, “he said.
Too much vitamin D can also cause toxicity and can lead to excess calcium in the body, which can be dangerous, Dr. Cross cautioned.
“I would discourage anyone from taking supplemental vitamin D to prevent or treat Covid-19 unless specifically directed by their doctor in the case of a deficiency,” he said.
With fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin D, more is not necessarily better, said a dietetic and nutrition expert from the Singapore Institute of Technology, Assistant Professor Verena Tan.
“They can build up in the body and can cause side effects and toxic build-up. Always check with a doctor or dietitian before starting to take a vitamin D supplement,” he said, adding that taking vitamin D supplements alone cannot protect to one of Covid-19.
However, he noted that existing evidence shows that having healthy levels of vitamin D can improve immunity and that the body needs the vitamin for calcium absorption and maintenance of bone structure.
“There is also emerging evidence showing that vitamin D is critical for immune function and a deficiency can compromise the immune response and increase the risk of infection and disease,” he said.
Dr. Cross agreed that treating vitamin D deficiency can be beneficial to overall health, which will have the spillover effect to help prevent or treat Covid-19.
She said: “So perhaps for members of the public, the first step could be to determine if you are deficient in vitamin D and if your overall health would benefit from supplementation.”
Additional reporting by Joyce Teo
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