Covid-19 and Vitamin D

Well, it is a new year and unfortunately we continue to be fighting an invisible force that has held most of the world in its grips for the last nine plus months. Though we now have what appears to be a viable solution in the many anti-viral vaccines that have recently been produced, there still appears to be no end in sight, at least not in the immediate future. Not to mention, as with all viruses, each day brings on the discovery of a new strain that the media alarmists claim is even more destructive than the one before.

Sadly, in spite of the economy destroying lockdowns, forced wearing of masks, forced social distancing, improvements in personal hygiene and disappearance of paper goods, this pandemic appears only to be gaining a greater hold on society and instilling greater fear in the hearts and minds of everyone. Don’t get me wrong, all of the actions I mentioned may have critical roles in helping to keep the Covid-19 virus in check, yet the constant mental stress and agitation continues. Granted, most of those “fears” are media driven in an attempt to cash in on the profits derived from the advertising dollars that flow into the medical and pharmaceutical arenas as we take an “at all cost” approach to finding a cure.

But, what if the “cure” is something that is an inexpensive product that has been around forever and readily available at your local pharmacy and health store? Now, wouldn’t that spark your interest?

The product I am referring to is Vitamin D.

Though research continues, evidence that vitamin D supplements may help to reduce the risk of developing Covid-19 is still somewhat limited. Big Pharma has been so busy trying to develop a new vaccine that they may have overlooked the obvious. Having a healthy vitamin D level has shown to be able to enhance immune health and may be helpful in fighting the effects of the virus.

First off, what is vitamin D? The National Cancer Institute defines Vitamin D as “a nutrient that the body needs in small amounts to function and stay healthy. Vitamin D helps the body use calcium and phosphorus to make strong bones and teeth. It is also fat-soluble (can dissolve in fats and oils) and is found in fatty fish, egg yolks and dairy products.”

Now, you may ask what that has to do with Covid 19? Well, it has been discovered that patients infected with the virus have, what is called, a Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) which is a potentially life threatening inflammatory response often seen in oncology care and often triggered by an infection or developed following an infusion of agents targeting an immune system. Initial presentation includes mild flu-like symptoms of fever, stiff joints, headache and fatigue. The inflammatory “storm” and immunopathologic changes follow the same pathology affecting the lungs and leading to acute respiratory distress syndrome, the leading cause of death in patients with Covid-19. As with CRS in the oncology setting, the cytokine storm seen in Covid-19 patients can also include hypotension, respiratory failure, coagulopathies, cardiac dysfunction and renal and liver failure.

Vitamin D plays a critical role in promoting immune response. It has both anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory properties and is crucial in the activation of the immune system defenses. In addition, vitamin D is known to enhance the function of immune cells including T cells and macrophages that help protect your body from pathogens. In fact, it is thought that the vitamin is so important for the immune function that low levels of vitamin D are associated with an increased risk of respiratory diseases including tuberculosis, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and viral and bacterial respiratory infections. In addition, vitamin D deficiency has been linked to decreased lung function which may affect your body’s ability to fight off respiratory infections. A recent study that included 11,321 people from 14 countries demonstrated that supplementing with vitamin D decreased the risk of acute respiratory infections (ARI) in both those with deficient and adequate levels of vitamin D. In addition, the review found that vitamin D supplements were most effective at protecting against ARI when taken daily or weekly in small supplements and less effective when taken in large widely spaced doses.  Depending on your blood levels, supplementing with 1000-4000 IU of vitamin D per day is typically sufficient for most people. However, those with low blood levels will often require much higher doses in order to reach an optimal range.

In closing, while we still don’t know whether taking vitamin D supplements reduces your risk of contracting the Covid-19 virus, recent research indicates that sufficient vitamin D levels may help people with the virus to avoid adverse outcomes.

That’s it for today. Here’s wishing you all a happy and healthy New Year and thanks for reading our latest blog…CBD Doc.