FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM MARCH 3, 2022 • HEALTH • THE QUEENS COURIER 31
health
Vitamin D is known for helping with
bone health, but its benefi ts extend
beyond that. Due to its positive eff ects
on the respiratory and immune systems,
more than 100 clinical trials have been
conducted since the onset of the COVID-
19 pandemic to look for links between
vitamin D and COVID-19.
Higher blood levels of vitamin D correlated
with lower incidence or severity
of COVID-19 in most reviews of the
research.
Th irteen recent meta-analyses examined
data from 100-plus independent
studies. Most studies focused on vitamin
D blood levels and COVID-19, while
two exclusively looked at vitamin D consumption
in relation to the illness. Most
analyses reveal that higher blood levels
of vitamin D appear to be correlated with
lower incidence or severity of COVID-19,
whereas lower blood levels of vitamin D
appear to be correlated with a more severe
case of COVID-19.
“Increasing evidence suggests a link
between higher vitamin D levels and
lower incidence of COVID-19,” said
Luke Huber, vice president of scientifi c
and regulatory aff airs at the Council for
Responsible Nutrition (CRN). “We have
known for years that vitamin D plays an
important role in immune health, and
now there are multiple meta-analyses that
appear to demonstrate the benefi ts of this
nutrient in COVID-19.”
One statistical review found that intervening
with vitamin D in an active case
of COVID-19 reduced chance of death,
though another, smaller meta-analysis did
not see a statistically signifi cant relationship.
Timing and dosage of those vitamin
D interventions may have led to diff erent
results. Summaries of the meta-analyses
and links to the research are available
on the CRN Foundation’s “Vitamin D &
Me!” website.
“Consumers need science-based evidence
to make informed health decisions,”
said Brian Wommack, CRN Foundation
executive director. “We hope consumers
use these fi ndings to better understand
how nutrients like vitamin D support
their goal of living a healthy lifestyle.”
Prevalence of low
vitamin D status
Low vitamin D status is increasingly
common. Th e prevalence of vitamin D
defi ciency (VDD) was found to be 28.9%,
and vitamin D insuffi ciency (VDI) 41% in
26,010 U.S. adults surveyed as part of the
ongoing National Health and Nutrition
Examination Survey from 2001-2010.
Recent studies in the British Journal of
Nutrition, European Journal of Clinical
Nutrition, and Aging Clinical and
Experimental Research revealed that the
following people are more at risk for VDD
and VDI:
• People of color, especially the Black
community
• Less educated populations
• Th ose of lower socioeconomic status
• Smokers
• Physically inactive people
• Obese individuals
• Infrequent milk drinkers
• Individuals with chronic diseases, especially
of the liver, kidney and heart
• Anyone with a disease that leads to malabsorption,
such as Crohn’s disease
• Older adults, due especially to aging
skin’s reduced ability to synthesize vitamin
D
• People with pre-existing conditions,
such as diabetics
• Anyone with reduced exposure to sunlight,
such as those hospitalized and
institutionalized
• Th ose taking certain medications
How do we get vitamin D?
Vitamin D comes from three potential
sources: food, sunlight-dependent production
in the skin and supplements.
Because vitamin D is not easily obtained
from food, many countries have regulations
that require vitamin D fortifi cation
of commonly consumed foods, such as
milk, orange juice, other dairy products
and cereals.
With regular sun exposure, a healthy
diet and healthy kidneys, many people can
make the vitamin D they need; however,
most people are not regularly exposed to
the sun, and diets vary. According to the
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,
few people can obtain enough vitamin D
from food sources alone, making supplementation
important.
How much to supplement will vary
based on vitamin D status. It’s important
to fi rst discuss dosage with your doctor,
as defi cient and insuffi cient individuals
will need a diff erent supplement strategy.
Takeaways
Simple supplementation may make you
less likely to get sick and may lessen
the degree of sickness if you contract
COVID-19. It isn’t a substitute for other
measures, but it’s another step you can
take to keep you and your family healthy.
“Th is growing body of research does
not indicate that vitamin D is a substitute
for vaccines, mask wearing, social
distancing or other behaviors to mitigate
the spread of the coronavirus,” said
Huber. “But the data indicate that vitamin
D levels may play a role, in combination
with other therapies, in strengthening the
immune system to resist the virus.”
Th e CRN Foundation, a nonprofi t educational
organization of the dietary supplement
industry that provides information
about responsible use of dietary supplements,
has put together a “Vitamin D
& Me!” educational initiative to explore
the science: VitaminDAndMe.org.
— Courtesy of BPT
Research: Vitamin D
plays an important role
in immune health
/WWW.QNS.COM
/VitaminDAndMe.org
