In a retrospective study of patients tested for COVID-19, researchers at the University of Chicago Medicine found an association between vitamin D deficiency and the likelihood of becoming infected with the coronavirus.
"Vitamin D is important to the function of the immune system and vitamin D supplements have previously been shown to lower the risk of viral respiratory tract infections," said David Meltzer, MD, Ph.D., Chief of Hospital Medicine at UChicago Medicine and lead author of the study. "Our statistical analysis suggests this may be true for the COVID-19 infection."
The research team looked at 489 UChicago Medicine patients whose vitamin D level was measured within a year before being tested for COVID-19. Patients who had vitamin D deficiency (< 20ng/ml) that was not treated were almost twice as likely to test positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus compared to patients who had sufficient levels of the vitamin.
Good morning @2greys and @sassy59! To take one more pill and its a vitamin, can't do much/any harm but it's taking the correct dosage for COVID19 that hopefully we'll learn about. The quicker the better. Hope everybody's well and trying to cope the best they can. 🐿🌈x
Hi SH, all good here so far but I must admit to dreading the winter. Grandchildren back at school today too.
I take a high dose vitamin D that I hope will help my immune system in some way. I have to look into Pete taking it as I seem to recall he couldn’t for some reason. I’ll check though.
Hope you’re as well as you can be and staying safe.
Yes, my son and of course his dog Hazel and myself, well we've had better days but then who hasn't? What a troubled time we now live in but I'm forever crossing my fingers, for the fullproof COVID-19 vaccine ........ 🤞....... so it will happen, I'm sure. Look at you though ..... it takes more than a pandemic to stop the strength of sassy59 as she still is caring for all her family and putting herself last, lol 😂. (Said very respectfully). Have a good day although it's showers on and off all day here so says the forecast 🌦⛈️. 🐿🌈x
I think that that just adds to the evidence already established by many other noted research establishments about the role of vitamin D. I have been personally taking it for some months now following discussion with my GP.
Most older people are deficient in Vit D especially those with copd. Ive been taking it for at least 5 years, 3000 iu together with Vit K and magnesium - they all work synergistically (sp?). I started them all to counter osteopenia as I refuse to take osteoporosis drugs due to side effects.
The overdose threshhold is way higher than 3000iu.
It's ironic that Covid research is making the importance of Vitamin D so much better known - something useful to have come out of it (along with zoom!).
I have been taking Vitamin D and Vitamin C supplements for the past four years, since then apart from a dose of viral pneumonia when I was admitted to hospital and finally put on BiPAP for C02 retention in January 2018, I have not had a cold, cough or chest infection.
Before I started taking Vitamins D and C I would have every cold and chest infection going, I would always be on one Anti-Biotic and cough remedy or other.
I don't take Vit D tablets, but I do take cod liver oil every morning with breakfast, and try to get out and about a lot in the summer sun to build up Vit D stores in the body for the winter. One of the problems with high factor sun screen is that it stops that natural process.
I did take Vit D when I was first diagnosed with Copd but stopped after a while ( don’t know why, suppose fed up with taking too many things) I’ve been back on it after reading up since the arrival of covid.
This just confirms the overwhelming evidence that vit D is one of the most important supplements to take. I also take vit K with mine, as has been recommended.
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