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Vitamin D Deficiency Can Up Covid Death Risk By 20%: How To Get enough of This Nutrient

Vitamin D Deficiency Can Up Covid Death Risk By 20%: How To Get enough of This Nutrient
Always consult with your healthcare provider before taking Vitamin D supplement.

Vitamin D deficiency is an independent predictor severe Covid-19 disease and mortality, according to a study from Israel. Here are some food sources of Vitamin D to boost the intake of this nutrient.

Written by Longjam Dineshwori |Updated : June 28, 2021 9:33 AM IST

Low vitamin D levels have been associated with the severity of COVID-19 in previous studies. Supporting this growing evidence, a new study by researchers from Israel has also found that being deficient in vitamin D can increase risk of death from Covid-19 by 20 percent. This means people with low vitamin D levels are more likely to die from Covid-19 than people who are not. The study findings were published on MedRxiv and is also being submitted to a peer-reviewed journal, as reported by The Jerusalem Post.

According to the study, 26 per cent of people who had vitamin D levels of 20 ng/mL before contracting Covid-19 died compared to just 3 per cent of those who had higher levels of vitamin D. While it is not clear that vitamin D is the cause of death, the study found that people who had low vitamin D died more. Low vitamin D was correlated with severe disease and mortality in an independent manner, noted Amir Bashkin, director of the Endocrinology and Diabetes Unit at the Galilee Medical Center (GMC) in Nahariya, Israel.

The recommended daily amount of vitamin D is around 1,200 mg per day, but Bashkin cautioned that people should consult with their healthcare provider before taking any supplement.

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Researchers from the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine of Bar-Ilan University in Safed also collaborated in the study.

Benefits of Vitamin D

Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium and phosphorus, the minerals that are vital for building strong bones. Vitamin D deficiency may can cause conditions such as rickets in children, or osteomalacia and osteoporosis in adults. Vitamin D is also essential for the health of muscles and nerves as well as the function of the brain and the immune system.

Research has linked vitamin D deficiency to increase in inflammatory cytokines and a significantly increased risk of pneumonia and viral upper respiratory tract infections. Low Vitamin D levels is also associated with an increase in thrombotic episodes, which are frequently observed in COVID-19 patients. Vitamin D deficiency has been found to occur more frequently in patients with obesity and diabetes, the two conditions that are linked to higher mortality in COVID-19.

Watch out for the signs and symptoms of vitamin D deficiency. These include muscle weakness, muscle aches, muscle cramps, body pain, fatigue and mood changes like depression.

Sources of Vitamin D

The sun is the best source of vitamin D and this is the reason why vitamin D is called "the sunshine vitamin." The body produces vitamin D naturally when the skin is directly exposed to sunlight. Vitamin D is also found in some foods including oily fish (such as salmon, sardines, herring and mackerel), mushrooms, red meat, liver, egg yolks, and fortified foods (such as breakfast cereals). Another way to boots your vitamin D levels is dietary supplements.

Caution: Excessive amounts of vitamin D in your body can lead to vitamin D toxicity, also called hypervitaminosis D, is a rare but potentially serious condition. This can result in a build-up of calcium in your blood (hypercalcemia), which can cause nausea and vomiting, weakness, and frequent urination. Vitamin D toxicity can also lead to kidney problems, such as the formation of calcium stones. Therefore, it is advisable to talk to your doctor before taking any vitamin and mineral supplements.