People with low levels of vitamin D are 7% more at risk of getting coronavirus – and the DOUBLE risk for blacks with “sun vitamin” deficiency, according to a study
- University of Chicago study with ore of 4,600 people found that those who have low levels of vitamin D are 7% more likely to test positive for COVID-19
- Black people with low vitamin D levels were 2.6 times more likely to test positive
- It does not prove that vitamin D prevents infections, but it plays a critical role in the functioning of the immune system
- Elderly and black people generally have low levels of vitamin D and both are at increased risk of COVID-19
People with higher levels of vitamin D in their bloodstream are less at risk of contracting COVID-19, a new study suggests.
And vitamin levels appear to have a particularly strong effect on blacks, who are more at risk of vitamin D and COVID-19 deficiency than whites.
In fact, black people with vitamin D levels between 30 and 40 ng / mL were 2.64 times more likely to test positive for COVID-19, researchers at the University of Chicago found.
Vitamin D – the ‘sun vitamin’ – plays a critical role in the functioning of the healthy immune system and is absorbed mainly by the skin.
The new study cannot prove that enough vitamin D intake will protect people from coronavirus, but it does suggest that enough vitamin D intake can help reduce the risk of getting it – especially for black people who have almost three times as much likely to be. hospitalized for COVID-19 and twice as likely to die because of it.
A growing body of research suggests that vitamin D may help protect people from COVID-19 and a new study shows that people with low levels have 7.2% more risk of COVID-19 – and blacks are 2.6 times more risk if they are deficient in vitamin D
In their study of 4,368 people in Chicago, the researchers found that those who had blood levels below 40 ng / mL had a 7.2% higher risk of a positive test for COVID-19.
The “sufficient” amount of vitamin D is a subject of ongoing debate among scientists.
Most nutritionists claim that someone is deficient if their blood levels drop below 40 or 30 ng / mL.
“These new results tell us that having vitamin D levels above those normally considered sufficient is associated with a decreased risk of a positive test for COVID-19, at least in black individuals,” said Dr. David Meltzer, head of hospital medicine at University of Chicago Medicine and lead author of the study.
“This supports the arguments for designing clinical trials that can test whether vitamin D may or may not be a viable intervention to reduce the risk of the disease, especially in people of color.”
The average level varies depending on a variety of factors, including where people live and how much time they spend outdoors.
It also varies with race.
The sun’s rays are our main source of vitamin D. When sunlight hits our skin, it produces the vitamin, unlike most of the vitamins we absorb through our diet.
People who have more melanin – a compound that gives skin pigmentation – do not produce vitamin D as efficiently when exposed to the sun.
Although the correct level of vitamin D is a matter of debate, the study found that black Americans with anything below 40 ng / mL are at an elevated risk for COVID-19 (central graph (
Therefore, the same trait that makes darker-skinned people – such as blacks or Latinos – less vulnerable to health problems like skin cancer also makes them more exposed to the risk of vitamin D deficiency.
A diet rich in oily fish such as salmon, red meat or egg yolk can help to increase vitamin D levels. Some series, milks and fruit juices are also enriched with the vitamin, and numerous supplements can be found on pharmacy shelves. .
Vitamin D is best known for its role in strengthening bones, helping the body to use calcium.
But it also plays a role in the immune system.
Vitamin D overloads the white blood cells that patrol the bloodstream and are among the first lines of defense against infection by bacteria and viruses, including the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19.
It can also be important in COVID-19 because vitamin D decreases inflammation, which is usually out of control in patients with COVID-19.