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Vitamin D is in the news today because: 1) England is giving it out for free and 2) This article minimizes its role in the pandemic. But there are some very smart people who think it is not just important for #COVID19 but essential. Here's how the argument was presented to me: 1/ https://twitter.com/BBCNews/status/1332491932086521861
Many of the chronic diseases identified as #COVID19 risk factors (high blood pressure, diabetes) are potentially associated with vitamin D deficiency. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20031348/
D deficiency is associated with increased risk for some respiratory infections. In one study, people with low levels were more likely to have had a respiratory infection in the month before having their blood drawn compared to people with normal levels. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25781219/
Turning to COVID: Of nearly 200k patients who had #coronavirus testing, the positivity rate was higher in patients with “deficient” vitamin D levels (<20 ng/mL) (12.5%, 95% C.I. 12.2–12.8%) than in the patients with “adequate” values (30–34 ng/mL) (8.1%, 95% C.I. 7.8–8.4%).
Coronavirus PCR (NAAT) positivity was strongly and inversely associated with vitamin D levels, a relationship that persisted across latitudes, races/ethnicities, sexes, and ages. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0239252
In this single-center, retrospective cohort study, likely deficient vitamin D status was associated with increased COVID-19 risk. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2770157
Here, patients with low vitamin D levels were more likely to become infected with #coronavirus [aOR 1.45(95% CI 1.08-1.95, p<0.001)], & hospitalized (aOR 1.95 (CI 0.98-4.9), p=0.06)] in a multivariable analysis. https://febs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/febs.15495
Conclusion: Vitamin D deficiency is cheap and easy to both detect and correct. While we wait for more evidence, England is providing free supplements to the vulnerable.
