Role of vitamin D in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic

Increasing vitamin D intake will certainly benefit health and bring down your risk severe COVID-19 complications. But this vitamin plays no role in curing the disease itself.

By: Jahnavi Sarma | | Published: June 26, 2020 3:14 pm

Vitamin D helps in building the immune system’s cells and therefore, when your body is low on the nutrient, your immune cells don’t function properly.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a lot of speculation about the role of vitamin D in bringing down your risk of and preventing infection. Though many say that the role of this vitamin is negligible in warding off viral infections, others say that it may play a major role in this. According to a study by Irish researchers, there is a significant association between vitamin D levels and mortality from COVID-19. Scientists from Trinity College Dublin say that vitamin D can support the immune system through a number of immune pathways involved in fighting SARS-CoV-2. The Irish Medical Journal published this study. Many recent studies too confirm the role of vitamin D in viral infections. However, some studies warn that people should not take high doses of vitamin D to prevent or treat COVID-19 as this can have unwanted repercussions. Also Read - How to sterilize N95 masks using a microwave

How vitamin D helps in COVID-19

Vitamin D is important for bone and muscle health. It also regulates and suppresses inflammatory cytokine response, which causes severe complications of COVID-19 and ‘acute respiratory distress syndrome‘ that can lead to ventilation and death. However, there are currently no results from trials to conclusively prove that vitamin D helps improve COVID-19 outcomes. But experts say that there is strong circumstantial evidence of associations between vitamin D and the severity of COVID-19 responses, including death. This is because increasing vitamin D intake will certainly have benefits for overall health and support immune function. But this vitamin plays no role in curing the disease itself. Also Read - Psoriasis injection for COVID-19 patients: How does it work?

A Lancet paper says that vitamin D deficiency as one of the possible reasons for the pandemic death rates across different countries. An observational study published in the journal Aging Clinical and Experimental Research says that the average vitamin D levels are low in Italy and Spain. Both these countries have witnessed high coronavirus death rates. Also Read - Russia completes clinical trials of world’s first COVID-19 vaccine: Results prove it’s safe and effective

Importance of vitamin D

This is a fat-soluble vitamin that is essential for many critical functions in your body. It significantly boosts your immune function, which is why people believe that it may help reduce the risk of contracting the new variant of coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Moreover, it also offers protection against respiratory illnesses in general.

It has amazing anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory properties and is crucial for the activation of immune system defenses. It enhances the function of immune cells, including T-cells and macrophages, that help your body fight off invading pathogens. In fact, experts say that vitamin D supplements can reduce mortality in older adults, who are most at risk for developing respiratory illnesses like COVID-19.

Health risks of vitamin D deficiency

People with low levels of vitamin D are more susceptible to infections, diseases and immune-related disorders. Deficiency in this vitamin may increase your risk of many respiratory ailments, including tuberculosis, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. It also makes you more prone to viral and bacterial respiratory infections. It leads to compromised lung function and this affects your body’s ability to fight respiratory infections.

How much is enough for a typical adult?

This depends on your blood levels. For ascertain your blood level, you need to visit a doctor. He will make recommendations based on the result. Usually an average adult needs about 1,000–4,000 IU of vitamin D per day. But if your low blood level is low, you will need a higher dose.

Published : June 26, 2020 3:14 pm

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