The COVID-19 virus leads to a situation of pandemics worldwide. It started spreading from its initial outbreak in Wuhan, China, to other places around the world. The list of countries that reported cases included major developing and developed countries like the United States, Germany, Japan, Australia, and India. But the coronavirus is only the latest addition to numerous infectious diseases that have caused global panic — like SARS and Ebola. Vitamin D Lower Your Risk Of Getting Infected With COVID-19 is no surprise that we are frightened of infectious diseases that seem to threaten our lives, or that we are reminded of how plagues wiped out people in the past.
Such diseases transformed the world in a number of ways. Coronavirus also changed millions of lives and economies. Many of its impacts will become more evident when the immediate outbreak has dwindled and the dust settles. But, not all infectious diseases work the same way. But there’s one lesson that we can already see: the need to prepare for the unexpected.
Research has proven that bodies with strong immune systems are less prone to get infected. The risk of infection is not completely eliminated but a strong immune system is compatible to reduce the severity of the virus to a larger extent. In such a scenario the question arises is can vitamin D helps boost our immunity and lower the risk of catching Covid-19?
Vitamin D And Its Importance
Vitamin D is essential for healthy bones and teeth. It also protects us from catching the flu and diseases like diabetes. If diabetes increases, Glucobay 100mg is an effective medication to treat diabetes. Our body produces vitamin D when exposed to the sun but one can intake vitamin D from consumption of certain vitamin D-rich foods and supplements.
Vitamin D is not a vitamin but a precursor of a hormone. Generally, our bodies can not produce vitamins therefore external consumption of vitamin-rich sources has to be there but unlike other vitamins, the human body is capable of producing vitamin D.
A study also showed that people with deficiency of Vitamin D have more chances of suffering from Erectile Dysfunction. It is a condition in which a male is unable to get or hold an erection. Consumption of supplements of Vitamin D tablets can help in treating erectile dysfunction and provide other health benefits as well. Part of the reason why people have vitamin D deficiency is that there are not many varieties of food that contain vitamin D. Although there are certain foods, supplements, and sunshine is the most accessible source. Going out in sun for at least 15-30 minutes a day can be enriched along with proper intake of nutrients from diet and supplements like Glucobay 50mg. Food sources include egg yolks, milk, cheese, certain fishes like salmon, etc.
Vitamin D Can Immune Health And Is Effective In Protecting Against Respiratory Diseases
Vitamin D and Immunity
Vitamins are important for the effective functioning of your immune system. Vitamin D is your body’s first line of defense against harmful infections and chronic diseases. In order to activate the defense of the immune system, it has both anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory properties. Vitamin D is important to protect the body from pathogens and increase the function of immune cells. If your body does not have an adequate amount of vitamin D then it makes it easier for infections and diseases to catch and grow on you. And for the same reason, low vitamin D level is connected to increased risk of respiratory diseases like tuberculosis, asthma and other viral respiratory infections. It can also hamper the functioning of your lungs and ability to fight against respiratory diseases.
Can Vitamin D Lower Your Risk Of Getting Infected With COVID-19?
As of now, three vaccines are being used as a preventive treatment in the United States. Few studies showed the effect of deficiency of vitamin D on the risk of catching the coronavirus.
The effects were seen much in patients with vitamin D deficiency than those who had sufficient levels. In addition, the deficient patients experienced higher fever. The mobility outcomes were also severe in adults with low vitamin D levels.
A study on 235 hospitalized COVID-19 patients was conducted. It determined that a blood level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D of at least 30 ng/mL seemed to help reduce the likelihood of adverse clinical outcomes including death in these covid infected patients.
Patients with adequate quality of vitamin D in the body were less likely to face adverse effects of covid in comparison to patients with a deficiency of vitamin D. Therefore, it is proven that vitamin D is important for protecting the body from adverse effects if it catches COVID-19. It can reduce mortality for those who are on the verge of developing respiratory illnesses. Vitamin D deficiency may harm immunity function and can increase the risk of respiratory illnesses.
Vitamin D Supplements
Another review showed that increasing the intake of vitamin D supplements (in both those who have deficient and adequate levels) decreases the risk of Acute Respiratory Infections (ARI) by 12%. The best way to consume vitamin D is when taken in daily or weekly doses than widely spaced large doses. Vitamin D deficiency can enhance the process of “cytokine storm”. An integral part of the immune system, cytokines are proteins that can have both anti-inflammatory and pro-inflammatory effects. They play an important role in protecting the body against infections and disease but in certain cases, they can induce tissue damage too.
If the body comes in contact with an infection, then the immunity system releases a cytokine. A cytokine storm can take place when there is an uncontrollable release of pro-inflammatory cytokines in response to the infection. Vitamin D deficiency may hamper the proper functioning of the immune system and enhance the cytokine storm. This cytokine storm can result in severe tissue damage and may make situations worse. This can further lead to organ failure. The severity of diseases like acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and COVID-19. Patients with a severe case of COVID-19 have been shown to release cytokines in large numbers.
Vitamin D Deficiency
On the one hand, Vitamin D deficiency can increase the risk of cytokine storms. On the other hand, vitamin D supplementation can reduce the same. More research about the same is ongoing but it is important to note that vitamin D supplementation can decrease one’s susceptibility to infection. It can not alone protect someone from COVID-19.
Older individuals are at the most at risk of getting infected by this virus. Therefore, they need to keep a check on their vitamin D intake, particularly during winters. For these reasons, it is a piece of good advice to contact your healthcare provider and get your vitamin D levels checked, and increase the intake as suggested by the doctor.
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Conclusion
Vitamin D is essential for the immune system as it decreases the susceptibility to catching or developing respiratory illnesses. Its supplementation can protect the body from the adverse effects of COVID-19. More research is going on about the role of vitamin D in COVID-19. But it is healthy to maintain the desired level of vitamin D in the body for protection against respiratory infections and diseases.
