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The role of vitamin D in protecting against or alleviating Covid 19 disease remains open due to the lack of a convincing study
Telepolis had previously suggested that vitamin D might play a role in protecting against Covid-19 (does vitamin D protect against Covid-19?). In the meantime, some studies have confirmed that severe infections and deaths can also be related to low vitamin D levels. The French Académie nationale de Médecine also recommends testing vitamin D levels, especially in older people, as “a significant correlation between low vitamin D levels and mortality from Covid-19” has been demonstrated in studies. The British Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) is examining “the potential ability of vitamin D to reduce the risk of coronavirus” (Covid-19 and vitamin D).
Older people in particular often have a vitamin D deficiency; in the northern countries, due to the increased stay indoors, a vitamin D deficiency is widespread. This is well known. But unlike expensive drugs like remdesivir, vitamin D is cheap to produce and therefore probably not an interesting source of profit for pharmaceutical companies and scientists looking to launch new drugs or vaccines that promise many billions of dollars in the Covid 19 pandemic.
Has just published one in the NSF Journal study The University of Hohenheim confirms that underlying diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, severe overweight and high blood pressure increase the risk of a severe or even fatal Covid-19 infection. But these underlying or pre-existing conditions are often associated with a vitamin D deficiency, which occurs particularly in the northern latitudes in winter months. But there is also a vitamin D deficiency in southern countries. In Iran over 80 percent of people have a vitamin D deficiency, in Pakistan over 60 percent, in India between 20 and 96 percent, in Europe between 20 and 60 percent.
Biesalski: Vitamin D supply can be an indicator of mortality risk
The nutritionist Prof. Dr. After reviewing numerous studies, Hans-Konrad Biesalski says: “The most important source of vitamin D is the formation in the skin by sunlight, and this only works to a limited extent in old age.” Vitamin D plays a crucial role in the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and in the immune system, i.e. in inflammatory processes. A deficiency in Covid 19 disease can lead to sepsis and acute respiratory distress syndrome, especially in the lungs.
The vitamin D deficiency can hardly be compensated through food, since it only occurs in wild mushrooms or in fish fat or cod liver, which is why people in Scandinavian countries suffer less from vitamin D deficiency. Most foods are not spiced up with vitamin D.
Otherwise, it is produced by exposure to the sun on the skin, which decreases with increasing age, less with strong pigmentation of the skin and less pollution – even with excessive use of sunscreen cream. Therefore, according to Biesalski, people who are older, who are poorly fed due to poverty, who have dark skin or whose bodies are little exposed to the sun are at greater risk. Anyone who stays indoors longer, apart from diet and age, protects their body from sunlight with clothing or lives in quarantine, could be at higher risk for a serious Covid 19 disease.
Biesalski recommends looking at vitamin D status for Covid 19 diseases. However, the vitamin could not cure, but at most alleviate symptoms or prevent secondary inflammatory processes. People who do not belong to a risk group should receive a dose of 800 IU per day. A high dosage also poses dangers. However, the scientist also warns that there are only a few studies on the health effects of vitamin D, especially not on Covid-19. Vitamin D often only works together with vitamin A on the immune system, but there are no studies on the consequences of a vitamin A deficiency. “Prophylactically,” says Biessalski, “you should spend a lot of time outdoors, take care of your diet – and at the latest if you suspect an infection, ask your family doctor to check the vitamin D level.”
However, the British National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) came up with that Enough, There is no evidence that vitamin D can affect Covid 19 disease – neither in treatment nor in prevention. The British Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) also sees no sufficient evidence to recommend the intake of vitamin D. People but should take 10 micrograms a dayto protect bones and muscles when you spend a long time indoors.
(Florian Rötzer)
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