Protect yourself from COVID-19 using vitamin D.
Vitamin D supplements against COVID-19 - What you should know.
The COVID-19 pandemic has made millions of victims around the world. Unfortunately, there is no effective treatment for the disease yet; all we can do is try to prevent the infection. But can something simple like a vitamin help us fight the disease? In this article, we´ll discuss the potential role of vitamin D in the COVID-19 disease.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is vital for the immune system’s functioning since it enhances the protective properties of the body’s mucous membranes and inhibits excessive inflammation. Vitamin D3’s metabolite 1, 25-hydroxy-vitamin D3, has an antiviral effect against common viruses that infect humans. Besides, vitamin D3 influences the incidence and severity of viral infections by altering the production of pro-inflammatory substances in the body.
Can vitamin D protect you against COVID-19?
One of the reasons COVID-19 infection increases mortality is an intense inflammatory process leading to the acute respiratory syndrome. The adequate intake of vitamin D3 may protect patients with COVID-19 by inhibiting the excess production of pro-inflammatory substances. Vitamin D3 can stimulate the body’s immune response against the virus while still maintaining reduced hyperactivity of this system. Vitamin D3 supplementation has proven to reduce the replication of other viruses like Influenza A, rotavirus, and dengue. There is also evidence that vitamin D3 supplementation is capable of preventing acute respiratory infections. Thus, researchers have proposed that vitamin D3 supplementation may be beneficial in the combat of SARS-COV2. One observational study with 444 volunteers has shown that vitamin D3 supplementation is associated with a reduced risk of mortality in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. On the other hand, vitamin D3 deficiency may be related to an increased risk of COVID-19 infection and increased mortality.
How to get enough vitamin D? You can get vitamin D by exposing yourself to the sunlight, and you can also find vitamin D in foods such as red meat, oily fish, egg yolks, and fortified foods. Since it can be difficult for some people to get enough vitamin D from food alone, it is recommended to take a daily supplement containing ten micrograms of vitamin D during the autumn and winter.
Should you get vitamin D supplements? Unfortunately, not everyone can get all of their nutrients from food. That is why supplements are a good alternative.
