A new study presented at the 25th European Congress of Endocrinology in Istanbul suggests that low vitamin D levels increase long-term COVID risk. The findings imply that individuals should have their vitamin D levels tested following COVID-19.
Long COVID, also known as post-COVID-19 syndrome, is a recently discovered illness in which the symptoms of COVID-19 persist for more than 12 weeks after the initial infection. Limited research has been conducted on the illness despite evidence showing that it affects between 50-70% of patients who had previously been admitted for COVID-19.
Low vitamin D levels are a risk factor for poor outcomes in COVID-19 patients who require hospitalization, such as intubation, mechanical ventilation, or death. However, the relationship between low vitamin D levels and long COVID has not been extensively studied.
In a recent study, researchers from Vita-Salute San Raffaele University and IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital in Milan examined 100 patients aged 51-70 years, with and without long COVID, supported by Abiogen Pharma SpA. The researchers measured the patients’ vitamin D levels when they were first admitted to the hospital for COVID-19 and six months after they were discharged. They discovered lower vitamin D levels in patients with long COVID than in patients without the illness. This result was especially apparent in patients who reported experiencing “brain fog” symptoms at their six-month follow-up.
The researchers only included patients without any bone conditions and only those who were hospitalized for COVID-19 without being admitted to the intensive care unit. They matched the two groups, long COVID and non-long COVID, in terms of age, sex, pre-existing chronic diseases, and COVID-19 severity.
Lead investigator Professor Andrea Giustina stated that “previous research on the role of vitamin D in long COVID was inconclusive, primarily due to multiple confounding factors. The highly-controlled nature of our study helps us understand better the link between vitamin D and long COVID and that there is likely a correlation between vitamin D deficiency and long COVID.”
In conclusion, individuals should have their vitamin D levels checked after having COVID-19 to reduce their risk of developing long COVID. Vitamin D supplements may be necessary for individuals with a deficiency to ensure sufficient levels are maintained.
