1/9
Vitamin D and COVID19...a thread

Please retweet, tag, share & comment for all those interested in this most topical topic!

As of this morning, there were 182 papers on Pubmed regarding #vitaminD and #COVID19...

However, the vast majority are theoretical only

#COVID

2/9
Initial studies reported lower vitamin D levels in those with COVID19:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32397511/  (Swiss)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32795605/  (Korea)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32700398/  (Israel)

Large UK biobank did NOT find an association
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32413819/ 
but measurement was ~10y pre COVID19

3/9
COVID seems to be more common & more severe in Black, Asian + Minority Ethnic ( #BAME) populations

BAME tend to have ↓ vitamin D

This paper found that ↓ vitamin D levels did NOT explain greater risk of severe COVID19 in BAME populations
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32556213/  (UK)

4/9
Our group at Connolly Hospital, Dublin reported: lower vitamin D levels predisposed to more severe outcomes in COVID
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32603575/ 

An Italian group reported the same:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32772324/ 

As did 2 UK groups:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32621392/ 
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32855214/ 

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Of note, COVID19 results in inflammation and #inflammation itself can decrease vitamin D levels

Further, COVID19 and low vitamin D levels share many common causes meaning they could co-exit with little or no relationship, e.g.
-old age
- #obesity
-staying indoors & #cocooning

6/9
We previously tweeted about the 1st ever vitamin D RCT in COVID19:
https://twitter.com/phytaphix/status/1301807284142645249 (Spain)

Of note, this small trial used Calcifediol (a vitamin D metabolite, not vitamin D)
#Calcifediol #vitaminDsupplement #RCT

7/9
Subsequent case series of 4 COVID19 patients received high dose of #vitaminD2 supplementation:
-achieved normalization of vitamin D levels
-shorter lengths of stay,
-lower #oxygen requirements
-reduction in #inflammatory marker status
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32804682/  (New York)

8/9
There are currently 24 registered studies which are going to examine the role, if any, of vitamin D supplementation in COVID19 prevention and treatment

We eagerly anticipate the results of these studies
#science #RCT #data

But COVID19 is here; right now...

9/9
Bottom line:

No conclusive evidence regarding vitamin D & COVID19

Vitamin D unlikely to be a cure all...but

#VitaminDdeficiency deficiency common, globally

#VitD is easily modifiable

Moderate #VItaminD supplementation has a high benefit:risk ratio being safe & cheap