There is no evidence that vitamin D prevents coronavirus

To Dr. Anthony protects himself from COVID-19 Forsi For a long time he skipped hugs and handshakes, wore a mask and said he was away from the plane. Last week he recognized Added another step to protect his health: taking vitamin D supplements.

“If you’re deficient in vitamin D, it affects your susceptibility to infection,” Fouch of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases said in an interview posted on Instagram last week. “I recommend taking vitamin D supplements, but I do it myself.”

However, although there are false claims that vitamin D can prevent or treat COVID-19. Proliferate online Including some Recommended It is important to point out that Fauci was not talking about vitamin D, which specifically helps COVID-19, when it comes to potentially dangerous doses. Instead, he talked more broadly about the importance of vitamin D in caring for our immune system. Vitamin D is important for musculoskeletal health and immune function, but it is unclear whether COVID-19 can be avoided or treated, especially by increasing intake. at this point, National Institutes of Health says While there is not enough evidence to recommend the use of vitamin D to prevent or treat COVID-19, he says there is not enough evidence to oppose it.

Some studies have shown that vitamin D helps prevent acute respiratory infections other than COVID-19. However, Adrian Martineau, a clinical professor of respiratory infections and immunity at Queen Mary University of London, said the results of these studies were inconsistent and led to non-beneficial results overall. “In some situations we get protection and in others it doesn’t work at all,” says Martineau.

Other studies have specifically investigated the association between vitamin D and COVID-19. 1, Published this month To JAMA Network Open, It was found that people with low vitamin D levels are more susceptible to COVID-19. However, many of these studies (including those presented at JAMA) were observational. In other words, researchers did not conduct experiments directly, but only analyzed a certain number of people over time. Therefore, it is impossible to exclude other variables that can play a role in a particular study result. In fact, many of the known risk factors for COVID-19 are black or Hispanic. Being elderly; having basic health; high body mass index-also a risk factor for vitamin D deficiency.

“They are correlated, but not conclusively proven to be causal,” said Dr. Joan Manson, a professor of epidemiology at Harvard University, testing whether vitamin D3 supplementation can be restricted. Says. The severity of the disease in patients diagnosed with COVID-19. In fact, at least one other large study, Release To Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Studies and Reviews Earlier this year, there was no significant association between vitamin D levels and COVID-19 risk.

According to experts, more rigorous scientific research is needed to test the potential of vitamin D to help prevent COVID-19 and its effects on patients who already have COVID-19. Dr. John Adams, director of the Orthopedic Hospital Research Center and professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, is working on the latter. In the next clinical trial, Adams plans to give coronavirus patients a drug containing the active ingredient of vitamin D3 (one type of vitamin D), a much faster immune system than taking vitamin D alone. The purpose is to strengthen.

It ’s important to get enough vitamin D, (Click here for recommendations from the National Institutes of Health)It is imperative that people do not overdo it. NIH warns that ingesting excess vitamin D is toxic and can cause calcium to build up in the blood, which can have adverse effects on the brain, muscles, heart, and more. Some people may be at greater risk, including this Patients with sarcoidosis.. Moreover, just because a supplement is available at a local drugstore or online does not mean it is safe. Dietary supplement regulations in the United States are notorious, Experts believe Makes consumers vulnerable. For example, A. Catherine Ross, a professor of nutritional physiology at Pennsylvania State University, points out that some manufacturers sell “purified” vitamin d, which contains more than twice the recommended daily dose. “Therefore, some manufacturers aren’t playing openly and safely,” Ross says.

What should people think about their vitamin D intake during a pandemic? For starters, don’t look at it as a silver bullet that protects you from COVID-19 — there’s simply not enough scientific evidence about it. But you Many Americans If your vitamin D levels are inadequate, it is advisable to increase your intake. Not to protect directly from the virus, but at least to improve health more broadly. The best way to increase your vitamin D levels is to eat foods high in vitamin D, such as mushrooms and fatty fish. Then make sure you have plenty of sunlight, especially if you’re in the Northern Hemisphere and the sun is getting shorter (this doesn’t mean skipping sunbathing or sunscreen).

That said, people at risk for vitamin D deficiency may not be able to get enough from diet and sunlight alone, so it may be appropriate to take supplements, Manson said. “Everyone needs to avoid vitamin D deficiency and try to raise blood levels to at least what is considered a healthy level of vitamin D,” says Manson.

Coronavirus briefs. Everything you need to know about the global spread of COVID-19

Thank you very much!

For your safety, we have sent a confirmation email to the address you entered. Click the link to confirm your subscription and start receiving our newsletter. If you don’t get confirmation within 10 minutes, check your spam folder.

Contact Us so [email protected]..