Low Vitamin D levels and High COVID-19 Mortality

Vitamin D is a pre-hormone rather than a true vitamin, and has been found over last 20 years of research to play a role in every organ system in the body. Vitamin D deficiency is naturally a consequence of modern living, as we have gone from a hunter-gatherer society where the majority of waking hours were spent outdoors, to modern life, where the majority of our waking hours are spent indoors. As human lifespan has increased, as well as skin cancer, sunscreen and sun avoidance has further decreased vitamin D from ambient sun exposure.

As the world tries to grapple with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19, there has been significantly variant mortality rates from one country to another and even significant variance in mortality rates from one region of the country to the next. For example, in parts of Italy, the mortality rate was near 10%,. Researchers have found high rates of vitamin D deficiency in the region. Does this finding explain the discrepant mortality rate in New York of approximately 6%, compared to North Texas, <2%?

See article and reference of new research demonstrating association of low vitamin D levels with high COVID-19 mortality.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/05/200507121353.htm

Medical Recommendations:

  • Sunlight exposure daily. For minimizing harmful UV exposure, avoid direct sunlight in mid day (11am-3pm), or avoid exposure enough to cause sunburn. Regular consumption of foods high in phytonutrients and high in vitamin A/beta carotene (think orange vegetables and fruit - carrots, sweet potatoes, orange peppers, mangoes) have been shown to significantly reduce risk of skin cancer.

  • If you do not know your vitamin D level, 2000-4000 IU vitamin D3 daily for adults, and 800-1000 IU daily for children is a safe and reasonable starting dose. Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin, so we recommend taking with a meal or fatty snack. It is not absorbed well if taken on empty stomach.

  • Consider having your vitamin D level (25-OH vitamin D) checked. A level of 60-80 ng/ml is the goal for optimal health. You will see varying levels of “normal” reference range, which are actually simply averages of people tested. For those with cancer or recent history of malignancy, I recommend higher levels of 80-100 ng/ml as long as calcium levels are within normal.

Leann Silhan, MD

Diamond Physicians

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Leann Silhan, MD