What is vitamin D?

Vitamin D is a very important vitamin. It is formed mainly in the skin and then used by every cell in the body.

Why is vitamin D important?

• Low levels of vitamin D in children and adults have been linked to the development of many illnesses.
• A normal level of vitamin D is needed to absorb calcium from food. Calcium is vital in building strong bones and teeth and is important for the nervous system.

Correct levels of vitamin D are important for the immune system to work properly.

How does my body get vitamin D?

Ninety per cent of vitamin D is made from sunlight exposure directly on to the skin (not through glass).

Only about 10 per cent of vitamin D comes from food sources such as oily fish, fortified milk and egg yolks.

How will I know if I have low vitamin D?

Your doctor can order a blood test.

What can I do to prevent having low vitamin D levels?

Low vitamin D levels are mainly seen in people who do not get enough sun. To prevent getting low vitamin D levels you need sun exposure to bare skin and, if necessary, to take a vitamin D supplement.

New Study Found 80% of COVID-19 Patients Were Vitamin D Deficient

• A new study that looked at 216 people with COVID-19 found that 80 percent didn’t have adequate levels of vitamin D in their blood.
• The study also found that people who had both COVID-19 and lower vitamin D levels also had a higher number of inflammatory markers such as ferritin and D-dimer, which have been linked to poor COVID-19 outcomes.
• A different study found that COVID-19 patients who had adequate vitamin D levels had a 51.5 percent lower risk of dying from the disease and a significant reduced risk for complications.
• Medical experts theorize that maintaining adequate vitamin D levels may help lower risk or aid recovery from severe COVID-19 for some people, though more testing is needed.

Can Vitamin D Help Protect against COVID – Scientific American

The U.K.’s CORONAVIT trial, with 6,200 participants, is looking at whether correcting vitamin D deficiency during the winter with a standard or high dose of the vitamin will reduce the risk or severity of COVID-19 and other acute respiratory infections.

In France, the smaller CoVitTrial is assessing the impact of a single high dose or routine dose of vitamin D on high-risk older adults with COVID-19. Results of both trials should be available later this year.

Yep stay home out of the sun….ugh – Mick Raven