Vitamin D study : I thought this was an interesting... - PMRGCAuk

PMRGCAuk

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Vitamin D study

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I thought this was an interesting report of a study titled:

"Vitamin D linked to COVID-19 mortality"

irishhealth.com/article.htm...

"Vitamin D may be an important factor in determining the severity of COVID-19 infections, new research from the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) at Trinity College Dublin has found."

Bridget

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β€’

Sorry link doesnt seem to work, but if you put the title into Google it comes up (Irishhealth)

β€’ in reply to

It works ok for me. 🌻

Whitner profile image
Whitnerβ€’ in reply to

Worked for me too, very interesting! My Husband and I went to Florida in January and I felt so good the whole time we were there. We spent a good part of our days in the sun. Wonder if that doesn’t help PMR too.

β€’ in reply toWhitner

Quite a few people say holidays should be on prescription!πŸ˜‚πŸ€£πŸ˜‚

Whitner profile image
Whitnerβ€’ in reply to

Florida was on lockdown for a shorter period than most of the US and their death rate is lower than most states. Time will tell which approach makes sense.

β€’ in reply toWhitner

Until a vaccine we can't really say one way or the other really. More people might have a mild version there of something. No one knows anything really. πŸ‘€

Whitner profile image
Whitnerβ€’ in reply to

Yep, just anecdotal. I’ll be happy when a reliable treatment is found.

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassador

The logic is a tad flawed in places - Wuhan is at a lower latitude than 35N and they had a pretty high rate of CV.

And I always raise my eyebrows at mention of vit D in diet - because less than 10% of the requirement can be obtained from diet unless you eat half a pound of wild salmon a day - even I couldn't do that!

However - note the "may". It is far too early to make such assertions - not least because the countries that lie below 35N are somewhat behind in the CV pandemic - and Iran, like Wuhan, has a high rate of infection even though the figures are somewhat disputed as to accuracy. Their population is also younger than Italy - in the region where I live only 4 deaths out of 250+ have been in people under 60, most are over 80, a quarter of the Italian populations are pensioners.

It MAY be a factor, taking vit D supplements will do no harm. But starting taking it now won't have an effect for some time so it won't save your life if you catch it now. And the real links will be found in months or even years time.

β€’ in reply toPMRpro

I don't think the study is talking about the number of people who got Covid 19 but the deaths. Only 4,642 deaths in China with a population of 1.393 billion people versus over 20,000 in the UK with a population of somewhere over 66 million.

I just thought there were things to think about, e.g. "Nordic countries, where vitamin D supplementation is widespread and deficiency is much less common" which considering Sweden's policy of lack of lockdown is interesting.

Of course, taking too much Vitamin D can cause problems, so all in moderation.

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassadorβ€’ in reply to

If you believe the China figures ...

But this

worldometers.info/coronavir...

provides interesting figures even if you are sceptical about some of them

You can't link total population with total deaths though - there are too many other factors. China imposed a draconian lockdown and test and trace policy and many areas of China weren't ever really exposed to Covid-19 so you need to look more at exposed population. The UK didn't impose enough restrictions - it was already obvious that mass gatherings were a major risk. A couple of football matches have been blamed for the massive numbers in Lombardy and Spain. England went to Cheltenham - one of the highest infection rates is in the postcode next to the racecourse.

SheffieldJane profile image
SheffieldJane

Interesting Bridget. My family of immigrants to Australia are fanatical about covering up and slathering on the sun block . I think the government has advised at least 15 minutes of exposure to the sun because of the rising incidence of Vit D deficiency. In Covid 19 they have the great advantage of wide open spaces except for the really big cities. Of course they are right under the hole in the Ozone layer.

β€’ in reply toSheffieldJane

Yes, having been born and brought up in Southern Africa and prone to basal cell carcinoma, I tend to slap on the sun cream but am trying to get some time in the sun, without cream, when I can. Australia mortality from Covid 19 also low.

β€’ in reply to

There's probably a good reason for that....

"Australia's average population density is much lower than European nations......

Data from The World Bank shows Australia's average population density, measured in people per square kilometre of land, is currently 3 but is much higher in the capital cities.

Belgium's average density is 377, The Netherlands' is 511 and Sweden's is 25."

amp.abc.net.au/article/1217...

UK 275 per square km

SheffieldJane profile image
SheffieldJaneβ€’ in reply to

I was interested to read that well over 50% of Swedes live alone and this could be one reason for their better time with Covid 19.

β€’ in reply toSheffieldJane

Did you see this?

bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe...

SheffieldJane profile image
SheffieldJaneβ€’ in reply to

Fascinating!

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassadorβ€’ in reply to

Have you seen the meme?

"The spread of Covid-19 depends on 2 things:

1) How dense the population is

2) How dense the population is"

β€’ in reply toPMRpro

No. But I will look...

β€’ in reply toPMRpro

I did...and quite a few of the top 20. πŸ˜‚πŸ€£πŸ˜‚

Jan_Noack profile image
Jan_Noackβ€’ in reply toPMRpro

As I said back in my first post (and got corrected as it was too early to tell, and I know it still is too early to0 ), I think Covid19 spread is based one the weather(ie a combo of heat, and sunlight (in which VitD exposure and UV light exposure play a role as well as the hot days of 45C o 55C weakening the virus), and the torrenyila rainy days washing it out of the atmosphere..but I still stand by that..and well as the density and mixing of the population. Sadly fo Australia , if I am correct out easy days our near the end..and the stupid govt announced that starting today people should be sending their kids to school as according to our govrt (almost as bright as the US e=here) it is apparently impossible for children to catch or transit Covid19! we could have opened up part of some states as some states like outback NSW and outback Qld with very little covid and low population densities have (the NT, SA and WA)..we could have sectined off those areas without any contamination and if possible with truck movement being the difficulty , we could have had normal life within those areas..and left the capital cities like Sydney (where I live) and Melbourne and surrounds including all of Victoria in struct lockdown for a couple more months..and then opened up (as long as we keep isolated from overseas except NZ and some pacific island countries. We could have formed out own covid 19 free area.. but we now have the "flu (and I think also covid 19 season" starting AND a load of kids going to school (it is not compulsory, but encouraged ..and in schools no masks and apparently as kids cant scratch covid 19 the 1.5m (instead of 2 m elsewhere) is NOt to be applied!... sigh, very sad and upset here. The govt says "science tells them this..almost as good as drinking disinfectant!", there other statement is , if its wrong we can reverse it..well, NO!..sigh Sorry, I still think all the figures so far still hold as to covid 19 being seasonal to an extent. I know you can get it in summer though..just if your country does get long dry days of hot temps and very bright sunlight or long days of torrentila rain for months.. then I think you stand less chance than snow . The virus itself has proven to be affected by heat (granted over 70C and preserved by cold..freezing will poreseve it for years..fridges do a good job of extending the life(which I think folk should be aware of if they think 3 days in the freezer is enough to kill it on the plastic!..anyway, I guess time will tell> And yes, New you're didn't stand a chance re density. I watched some "suits" on Netflix and you should see New York!

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassadorβ€’ in reply toJan_Noack

It was the play on words that tickled me!

BoJo's back - and obviously not ready to relax the rules yet. I do find the various versions of "science-based advice" interesting though. And now there is a mink farm in The Netherlands with infected animals - caught it from staff it is thought. So next question is how soon the reverse will start to happen. Though I did wonder why there are still mink farms anywhere.

β€’ in reply toPMRpro

The Netherlands introduced a ban on fur farming in 2013 which includes an 11-year changeover period and Noord-Brabant is the centre of the Dutch industry.

Read more at DutchNews.nl:

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassadorβ€’ in reply to

Mmmm - but it is only worth farming if there is a market. Even in Italy that is falling away.

β€’ in reply toPMRpro

Yes. No idea where the market is. I always pretend it is for Siberia or those regions deep in the Arctic and Antarctic. Perhaps it's the ice skating wear. I will ask Dutch family...who are under 30miles from that region having a ride on a boat. πŸ€¦β€β™€οΈπŸ§Ÿ

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassadorβ€’ in reply to

Hope the mink don't escape. Do they swim?

β€’ in reply toPMRpro

Oh yes. People sometimes mistake the vicious things for otters.

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassadorβ€’ in reply to

Smaller though?

β€’ in reply toPMRpro

Yes. Quite a bit I think. I remember a programme years ago when they were discussing and trying to trap all the now wild ancestors. Probably country file or something like that.

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassadorβ€’ in reply to

They are a pest in East Anglia aren't they?

β€’ in reply toPMRpro

Lots "escaped" from mink farms but I can't remember where. Somewhere with spare land and water I presume!!

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassadorβ€’ in reply to

Like the Broads ...

β€’ in reply toPMRpro

Yep. I turned into jade goody and couldn't remember where east angular was. πŸ˜πŸ˜‰

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassadorβ€’ in reply to

Around the corner? ;)

β€’ in reply toPMRpro

πŸ˜‚πŸ€£πŸ˜‚

nuigini profile image
nuiginiβ€’ in reply toJan_Noack

I'm in Panama where we're just coming out of the dry season with average daily temperatures in my area of 34C and heading into the rainy season where temperatures will remain in the 30+ range with torrential rains in the late afternoons and overnight. The humidity, which is normally quite high has begun to sky rocket.

Panama shut everything down in early March and we're in a 24 hour curfew with women and men allowed, with mandatory face covering, out alone to shop for 2 hours on designated days of the week based on the last digit of there passport or national id cards.

COVID-19 cases have continued to increase here and there is no flattening of the curve.

I have my doubts about the significance of weather. It may impact somewhat, but not greatly.

The highest density of cases and new cases is in the capital of Panama City with slow creep in the lower density areas.

PMRpro profile image
PMRproAmbassadorβ€’ in reply tonuigini

My opinion too - if summer were going to make a difference in Europe, then it would never have got any hold in Australia or Indonesia or anywhere else in the tropics now.

Jan_Noack profile image
Jan_Noackβ€’ in reply toPMRpro

the flu gets hold enough in summer too, just more so in the cold. it never completely goes away.

Jan_Noack profile image
Jan_Noackβ€’ in reply tonuigini

In the humid tropics like Panama there is no seasonal variation found in any viruses. I guess the rainy season may wash more "virus" particles out of the atmosphere but people tend to stay more indoors too, closer together and in airconditioning.. so that negates any benefit of cleaner air and outdoor surfaces. In the moist tropical areas there are just sporadic outbreaks of any virus (flu included) ... so I agree, no seasonality in Panama can be expected.

nuigini profile image
nuiginiβ€’ in reply toJan_Noack

Interesting. They have just started the annual vaccination program for the "flu season" here in Panama, which is coincides with the rainy season.

Baileyw06 profile image
Baileyw06

Great article

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