Graphics from Liz, thank you Liz,
Does Vitamin D Protect Against COVID-19?
So the evidence is becoming quite compelling
JoAnn E. Manson, Professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School
Division of Preventive Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, in Boston, Massachusetts.
Already known about Vit D status
Bone health
Cardiometabolic health
But it may be even more important now than ever
Risk of developing COVID-19 infection and to the severity of the disease
Innate immunity and boosts immune function against viral diseases
Immune-modulating effect
Can lower inflammation
This may be relevant to the respiratory response with COVID – 19 and the cytokine storm
Laboratory (cell-culture) studies
Evidence that patients with respiratory infections tend to have lower blood levels of 25-hydroxy-vitamin D
Some evidence from COVID-19 patients as well
Eightfold higher risk of having severe COVID illness among those who entered with vitamin D deficiency compared with those who had sufficient vitamin D levels
Supplementation was associated with a significant reduction in respiratory tract infections
12% to 70% reduction of respiratory infection with vitamin D supplementation
So the evidence is becoming quite compelling
Encourage our patients to be outdoors and physically active, while maintaining social distancing
Diet
food labels
fortified dairy products
fortified cereals
fatty fish
sun dried mushrooms
Quite reasonable to consider a vitamin D supplement
RDA, 600-800 IU/daily
But during this period, a multivitamin or supplement containing 1000-2000 IU/daily of vitamin D would be reasonable
Planning a randomized clinical trial, moderate to high doses
In the meantime, it’s important to encourage measures that will, on a population-wide basis, reduce the risk for vitamin D deficiency
Dr JoAnn Manson is a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School; and chief of the Division of Preventive Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, in Boston, Massachusetts.
