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A recent study confirmed that vitamin D deficiency is one of the causes of death from coronavirus. In addition, vitamin D has previously been proven to play a huge role both in health and longevity and in the prevention of influenza and influenza-like illnesses.
Why do influenza epidemics always occur in winter and never occur at other times of the year? This question has long occupied the minds of scientists and physicians. In this regard, a scientifically based theory has emerged to explain why it is during the winter months that millions of people get the flu, especially the elderly. This theory is based on vitamin D deficiency.
Summer sun activity stimulates sustainable production of vitamin D in the skin. In winter, however, the activity of the sun is extremely low, and therefore there is a deficiency of vitamin D. Scientists have also noticed that despite the absence of a winter season in the tropics, flu outbreaks tend to occur during the rainy season, when there is not enough sun.
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Vitamin D plays an important role in the development of the immune response. It has both anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory properties and is critical for activating the protective functions of the immune system.
There is recent evidence that vitamin D may reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection and mortality.
Research looks at the role of vitamin D in reducing the risk of respiratory tract infections and COVID-19 and suggests that optimizing vitamin D status may be a useful intervention to reduce the risk of coronavirus infection.
Vitamin D may reduce the risk of infections through several mechanisms. These mechanisms include the induction of cathelicidins and defensins, which can reduce the rate of viral replication and reduce the concentration of pro-inflammatory cytokines that cause inflammation that damages the lung mucosa and leads to pneumonia. They can be grouped into three categories: physical barrier, cellular natural immunity, and adaptive immunity.
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Experts hope that optimizing vitamin D status will improve survival from COVID-19.
Data were analyzed for 20 countries. It turned out that the higher the vitamin D deficiency in the population, the greater the proportion of deaths from COVID-19. Thus, the most vulnerable population to COVID-19 is the one with the most vitamin D deficiency.
As we already know, countries with low solar activity, including most of Russia, are at risk for vitamin D deficiency. The lowest levels of vitamin D are observed in older people, who are already at high risk.
To reduce the risk of infection, people who are at risk of influenza and/or COVID-19 are advised to take 10,000 IU per day of vitamin D for several weeks to quickly increase its concentration, and then 5000 IU per day.
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The goal is to increase vitamin D concentrations above 40–60 ng/mL (100–150 nmol/L).
Higher doses of vitamin D may be helpful in treating people infected with COVID-19.
Dosage and duration of administration should be prescribed by a doctor!
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