The Health Commission has heard that health experts have called on the government to introduce vitamin D policies as a central element of the Living with Covid-19 strategy.
Experts who are members of the Covit-D Consortium say they can help guide the country in a better direction from the pandemic.
Dr. Daniel McCartney, director of human nutrition and nutrition at Technological University Dublin, said the study shows how vitamin D reduces mortality in people diagnosed with coronavirus. It was.
He told the Oireachtas Health Commission that there is extensive international research showing the protective role of vitamin D against Covid-19.
He added: “A very large background study pooling data from dozens of individual trials found that people taking vitamin D supplements had a 10% reduction in their risk of respiratory infections and vitamin D levels. It has been shown to reduce the risk of low people by more than 50%, especially if you are taking supplements daily, in the first place.
“Therefore, there is solid evidence that vitamin D generally prevents respiratory infections.
“Since May 2020, geographic studies have shown that Covid-19 incidence and mortality are high in countries far from the equator and in countries with low vitamin D levels. I will.
“In addition, the population most likely to be deficient in vitamin D is the same as the worst affected population of Covid-19.”
Since May last year, Dr. McCartney said the data show a direct link between low vitamin D status and increased risk of Covid-19 infection, serious illness and death.
“These studies included a study by Professor Fall of Blanchardstown, Connolly Hospital, which showed much higher ICU admission rates in patients with low vitamin D levels,” he added.
“Are these relationships causal? Currently, several studies have been published showing low ICU admission, ventilation, and mortality in patients who received vitamin D during hospitalization.
“There is also an unpublished public health initiative in Andalusia, Spain, which has significantly reduced Covid-19 mortality since the start of vitamin D supplementation for vulnerable older people in mid-November.
“Nevertheless, despite dozens of positive studies involving tens of thousands of participants, this is a very low-risk, easy-to-implement, inexpensive, and potentially very effective way to mitigate public health. There is no policy change to move forward what we believe to be an intervention. Crisis. “
At a briefing on the National Public Health Emergency Team last week, Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr. Ronan Grin said that many people in the country are not getting enough vitamin D.
He said that everyone over the age of 65 should take supplements.
However, Dr. Grin emphasized that there is not enough evidence that vitamin D helps prevent a serious illness in Covid-19.
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He states: “We need to be very careful about what we encourage people to put in their bodies and why people put something in their bodies.”
