In the News: Vitamin D May Help Prevent Virus Infections

Yes, you’ve probably heard it more than once, how vitamin D (specifically D3) is supposed to be good for you. Well, it turns out that more people need to listen to this advice because, due to such a high deficiency rate, deadly viruses may be able to thrive in your body and possibly kill you if you don’t have enough vitamin D3 in your system.

Don’t Deny the D

Adequate vitamin D is created when your body is exposed to sunlight for about ten to thirty minutes, three days per week, in an outfit such as a tank top and shorts.

People with darker skin should explore longer exposure due to their high levels of melanin, which is a natural skin coloring compound that protects the skin. Also, if there is no inherent risk, it is recommended to not use sunscreen for the time needed to produce vitamin D.

In the winter you can still make vitamin D from the sun with an exposed face and hands but the body will rely on stored vitamin D in the liver for systemic distribution. However, it is best to supplement with vitamin D all year round because not many foods help produce it and adequate sun exposure can be minimal for most people.

The best foods to consume for a vitamin D lift include:

• Oily fish and fish oil
• Liver
• Egg yolk
• Foods that advertise as fortified with vitamin D

The benefits of vitamin are vast. As reported by the Mayo Clinic, vitamin D can helps with:

• Improving cognitive (brain) health
• Cancer prevention
• Strengthening bones
• Preventing multiple sclerosis
• Relieving psoriasis
• Improving mood
• Boosting the immune system

Supplements are small capsules taken every day. D3 is recommended due to its high absorption and utilization rate. Don’t just choose vitamin D, make sure the number 3 is attached.

The Mayo Clinic reports,

“The recommended daily amount of vitamin D is 400 international units (IU) for children up to age 12 months, 600 IU for people ages 1 to 70 years, and 800 IU for people over 70 years.”

Virus Slayer

Vitamin D3 has many studies behind it showing significant support throughout the human system. The most recent study shows how vitamin D may be able to protect you from dangerous viruses such as Covid-19 and associated variants.

Business Insider reported on the study from Israeli scientists stating,

“Low levels of vitamin D prior to catching COVID-19 were linked to worse illness, a study found. Vitamin D helps bolster the immune system to tackle viruses that attack the lungs, researchers said.Vitamin D is “one piece of the complex puzzle” underlying severe COVID-19, the scientists cautioned.”

These new developments for the efficacy of vitamin D catapults this simple supplement to super supplement status.

Dr. Amiel Dror, a study author and physician at the Galilee Medical Center commented,

“We found it remarkable, and striking, to see the difference in the chances of becoming a severe patient when you are lacking in vitamin D compared to when you’re not,…This is equally relevant for Omicron as it was for previous variants,”

This study was the first to investigate those with low levels of vitamin D prior to Covid infection from April 2020 to February 2021 (right before the Omicron variant surge). This research holds significant credibility for those being better protected when supplementing with vitamin D on a daily basis.

Another study by researchers from the University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia, corroborated the Israeli study with one if their own reporting that,

“In conclusion, low serum 25 (OH) Vitamin-D level was significantly associated with a higher risk of COVID-19 infection. The limited currently available data suggest that sufficient Vitamin D level in serum is associated with a significantly decreased risk of COVID-19 infection.”

It is important to note that as much as these results show good promise, it is only an adjunct to getting vaccinated and boosted. This means that you should not think that taking vitamin D in place of the highly effective life-saving vaccines is a good idea, it is not.

Talk to your doctor about how vitamin D may help prevent virus infections and if a D3 supplement is best for you.

Sources:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/vitamin-d-could-be-a-piece-of-covid-19s-complex-puzzle-israeli-scientists-say-after-a-new-study-finds-a-link-between-deficiency-and-severe-illness/ar-AATzqyM?ocid=mailsignout&li=BBnb7Kz

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33748066/

https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-vitamin-d/art-20363792

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0263069