The Relationship Between Vitamin D & Covid-19

Let’s talk about Vitamin D!

A multitude of evidence has been coming out which demonstrates the importance of getting adequate amounts of Vitamin D when it comes to fighting off COVID-19 & avoiding the worst complications.

Here, I will go over some research that details why it is more important than ever to make sure you aren’t Vitamin D deficient.

Vitamin D deficiency could make you 1.77 times more likely to contract COVID-19.

The Journal of the American Medical Association published a study in September of 2020, which demonstrated that patients who had low Vitamin D levels the year prior to COVID-19 were 1.77 times more likely to test positive for COVID-19, “a difference that was statistically significant”

Source: Meltzer DO, Best TJ, Zhang H, Vokes T, Arora V, Solway J. Association of Vitamin D Status & Other Clinical Characteristics With COVID-19 Test Results. JAMA Netw Open. 2020;3(9)e2019722. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.19722

80% of COVID-19 patients are Vitamin D deficient.

A study published by the Endocrine Society’s Josephurnal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found that “over 80% of COVID-19 patients have Vitamin D deficiency” & that more men were Vitamin D deficient than women.

Source: “Adequate Levels of Vitamin D Reduces Complications, Death Among COVID-19 Patients." Boston University School of Medicine, 25 Sept. 2020, www.bumc.bu.edu/busm/2020/09/25/adequate-levels-of-vitamin-d-reduces-complications-death-among-covid-19-patients/.

If you do get COVID-19, Vitamin D deficiency could increase your risk of severe complications & death.

In the same study that was mentioned above, researchers found that having “adequate levels” of Vitamin D in your body actually “reduces complications & death” in patients diagnosed with COVID-19.

Source: “Adequate Levels of Vitamin D Reduces Complications, Death Among COVID-19 Patients." Boston University School of Medicine, 25 Sept. 2020, www.bumc.bu.edu/busm/2020/09/25/adequate-levels-of-vitamin-d-reduces-complications-death-among-covid-19-patients/.

Patients who were Vitamin D deficient were more likely to pass away than those with adequate levels of Vitamin D.

The Scientific Report published a study showing that when Vitamin D deficiency was compared with morbidity rates, 21% of patients who were Vitamin D deficient passed away, while only 3.1% of patients with adequate levels of Vitamin D passed away.

Source: Jian A, Chaurasia R, Sengar N.S. Analysis of vitamin D level among asymptomatic & critically ill COVID-19 patients & its correlation with inflammatory markers. Sci Rep 10, 20191 (2020). http://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-77093-z

Personal Disclaimer

Obviously, COVID-19 is an extremely complicated disease that we are still learning so much about. The recommendations for how to stay healthy seemed to change a lot in the beginning, & they still are changing as we gather new information. Due to this change, it is easy to see evidence like this & blow it off.

While I believe there are tons of other factors that contribute to how one will react to COVID-19, it is clear from the evidence that there are only positive benefits from taking Vitamin D. I have been taking Vitamin D, along with other immune-boosting supplements & foods in order to have the best chance of fighting off COVID-19, if I am to contract it.

Additionally, there is never a one-size-fits-all cure for anything, since we all have different medical history & different DNA. I have no doubt that with continued research, we will know even more about how to protect ourselves from this virus.