Link found between vitamin D deficiency and coronavirus

1. There is strong evidence that people with a vitamin D deficiency are more at risk of serious complications from COVID-19. In places where people structurally do not consume enough vitamin D, the chance of a fatal outcome from infection with the corona virus is also greater.

1. British researchers conclude the increased risk of a fatal outcome from an analysis of the mortality rates in more than twenty European countries. The researchers looked at the average vitamin D levels of residents of twenty different European countries. Nations. They then compared those figures with the number of deaths from the coronavirus in each country and found a striking link between countries where vitamin D deficiency is common, and where the coronavirus causes many deaths. The elderly, the most vulnerable to the virus, are also the group in which a vitamin D deficiency occurs most often in all countries, the researchers say. into an active form of vitamin D.

Many deaths in Italy and Spain

1. Italy and Spain have a high number of deaths from the virus, according to scientists. And those are also the countries where average vitamin D levels were found to be lowest. Although the sun shines enough in these countries, people - especially the elderly - usually try to avoid the heat of the sun. As a result, they produce less vitamin D than they need and they also do not get enough through the diet. People in Northern Europe have the highest concentration of vitamin D, especially in the Scandinavian countries. Although the sun shines less there, vitamin D supplements and cod liver oil are much more used there. They also avoid sunlight less often. The Scandinavian countries in particular have been relatively less affected by the coronavirus and have fewer deaths than other countries.

More and more serious complications

1. It is not the first time that vitamin D has been linked to a virus or disease. There is clear evidence that people with a vitamin D deficiency develop more and more serious complications from conditions such as tuberculosis and influenza, diseases that also affect your lungs. Previous international studies also showed that people who took vitamin D supplementation are less susceptible to respiratory infections. The effects of extra vitamin D were mainly seen in people who had too little vitamin D in their blood before that time. Little effect could be measured in people with good vitamin D levels. A

Cytokine storm and vitamin D

1. Other US researchers have previously concluded that people with severe vitamin D deficiencies have a much higher risk of complications from infection with the coronavirus. They found a link between the vitamin D content of COVID-19 patients and the development of so-called cytokine storms. Cytokines are proteins that our body produces when we are confronted with germs. So that's basically a good thing. In some cases, in corona, the body produces far too many cytokines, which is called a cytokine storm. Cytokine storms can cause major problems in the body and cause serious inflammatory reactions, for example in the lungs. It is known that even a small cytokine storm can be fatal in the elderly, especially when other conditions such as cardiovascular disease are involved. The scientists calculated that increasing vitamin D levels in time could reduce the percentage of COVID-19 patients with serious complications by 15 percent. It therefore seems that in the present times it is even more important to adhere to the advice of the Health Council. It advises, among others, women over 50 and men over 70, people with dark skin, people who spend little time outside and pregnant women to take extra vitamin D. Also read: should I take extra vitamin D now that corona is at home?

2. Other American researchers have previously concluded that people with severe vitamin D deficiencies have a much higher risk of complications from infection with the coronavirus. They found a link between the vitamin D content of COVID-19 patients and the development of so-called cytokine storms. Cytokines are proteins that our body produces when we are confronted with germs. So that's basically a good thing. With corona, in some cases the body produces far too many cytokines, which is called a cytokine storm. Cytokine storms can cause major problems in the li