According to researchers, Vitamin D supplements could help in boosting a person’s resistance to respiratory infections, like the Coronavirus, and/or limit the severity of the ailment in those infected.
An article just published in the Irish Medical Journal recommends adults take 1000 – 2000 IU of Vitamin D daily to see the benefits of increased resistance or reduction in the severity of respiratory infections. The findings outlined by these researchers, correspond to other recent reports showing Vitamin D benefits increasing immune system response to infections and reducing antibiotic use while preventing respiratory infections.
Results of various studies show 47% of all adults over the age of 85 are deficient in Vitamin D during the winter months, while 27% of adults over age 70 are believed to be deficient in Vitamin D while “cocooning”. Additionally only about 4% of men and 15% of women supplement with Vitamin D daily.
Although researchers do not know the role Vitamin D may have in preventing infections with the COVID virus, researchers have evidence to support the role Vitamin D plays in preventing chest infections, particularly in older adults who are deficient in this nutrient. Epidemiological studies have shown individuals with low Vitamin D levels have a higher risk of acute respiratory tract infections as well as community-acquired pneumonia.
In another study published this week a team of US researchers recommended that people at risk for the flu or for Covid-19 consider taking 10,000 IU of Vitamin D3 for a couple of weeks to increase their 25(OH)D concentrations and then lower their daily Vitamin D3 dose to 5,000 IU.
Randomized controlled trials along with large population studies should be done to evaluate these specific recommendations and to verify the correlation between Vitamin D and immune response.
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